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The Art of the Covenant: A Guide to Invokers (By Cazzeo)
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<blockquote data-quote="Veep" data-source="post: 6708043" data-attributes="member: 6793297"><p style="text-align: center"></p><p><span style="font-size: 18px"><strong>Core Class Mechanics</strong></span></p><p></p><p>Invokers are an “A-class”, meaning they use a single stat as their primary stat, while their secondary stat changes based on which build they choose. Like most controllers, their hit points and base surges are weak, although Constitution as a viable secondary stat helps this somewhat.</p><p></p><p><strong>Game Mechanics</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><span style="color: Purple"><strong>Hit Points</strong></span>: 10+Con, 4 per level</p><p></p><p><span style="color: Purple"><strong>Surges</strong></span>: 6+Con. Worth noting this is really not that bad for invokers that use Con, though.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: DarkTurquoise"><strong>Defenses</strong></span>: +1 to Fort/Ref/Will</p><p></p><p><span style="color: MediumBlue"><strong>Armor</strong></span>: Chainmail, which is better than average for a controller</p><p></p><p><span style="color: Black"><strong>Weapons</strong></span>: Simple melee/ranged, pretty average, doesn’t really matter.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: Black"><strong>Implements</strong></span>: Rods/staffs, pretty average for a controller, only 2 implements.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: MediumBlue"><strong>Skill List</strong></span>: The skill list of invokers is pretty good for Intelligence-based builds. Con-based builds have little to choose from, though, and the Cha-based skills on the list are mystifying.</p><p></p><p>[/sblock]</p><p></p><p><strong>Class Features</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><span style="color: MediumBlue"><strong>Channel Divinity</strong></span>: A useful if not amazing feature.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: MediumBlue"><strong>Divine Covenant</strong></span>: Again, a solid option, but not so amazing that hybrids can’t live without it.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: MediumBlue"><strong>Ritual Casting</strong></span>: Again, a useful but not essential class feature.</p><p>[/sblock]</p><p></p><p><strong>Skills</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><strong>Class Skills</strong></p><p></p><p><span style="color: MediumBlue"><strong>Arcana</strong></span>: This is great for an Int-based invoker. For a Con-based invoker, it’s fairly worthless if some other party member with Int has it.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: Purple"><strong>Diplomacy</strong></span>: Keys off a stat we don’t use. Unless you go Devoted Orator, this is kind of bad.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: MediumBlue"><strong>Endurance</strong></span>: Good for Con-vokers. Bad for Int-vokers.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: MediumBlue"><strong>History</strong></span>: Same as Arcana. Very useful for Int invokers. If you’re Con-based, it’s only good if no one else in the party with Int has it.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: DarkTurquoise"><strong>Insight</strong></span>: Keys off our primary stat, and it’s a useful skill in many situations. Every invoker will likely take this.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: Purple"><strong>Intimidate</strong></span>: Keys off a stat we don’t use. Useful skill, but we’re bad at it.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: MediumBlue"><strong>Religion</strong></span>: Another knowledge skill useful to Int-vokers but not so great for Con-vokers.</p><p></p><p><strong>Relevant Non-Class Skills</strong></p><p></p><p><span style="color: MediumBlue"><strong>Dungeoneering</strong></span>: A decent skill that keys off your primary stat.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: DarkTurquoise"><strong>Perception</strong></span>: A fantastic skill for any Wis-based class, if you can find a way to get it.</p><p>[/sblock]</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center"></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><strong>Choosing Your Covenant</strong></span></p><p></p><p>The first and most important decision you must make as an invoker is which covenant to pursue. Your covenant determines three things about your character: the riders on your powers, your Channel Divinity encounter power, and your Covenant Manifestation (which you can use whenever you use a divine encounter/daily attack power). <strong>Hybrids do not get the covenant power or the covenant riders, but they do get the manifestation.</strong> This has a large impact on power selection for hybrids, as some of the best powers are only so because of their riders. </p><p>Covenant of Wrath is generally the best option pre-epic due to strong riders, while Covenant of Malediction is the best choice at epic due to the rider on the level 23. Covenant of Preservation is really only competitive if your party has strikers (particularly Essentials strikers) who can make heavy use of Agile Opportunist.</p><p></p><p><strong>The Three Covenants</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><span style="color: DarkTurquoise"><strong>Covenant of Wrath</strong></span> (PHB2)</p><p></p><p>Although ostensibly focused on dealing damage, choosing Covenant of Wrath gives you access to many powerful enabling riders, such as Lightning's Revelation and Rain of Blood. The <span style="color: DarkTurquoise"><strong>riders</strong></span> are the best of any of the covenants pre-epic. The <span style="color: Black"><strong>Armor of Wrath</strong></span> Channel Divinity power is fairly weak at heroic, but can become decent at epic, especially if you can exploit radiant vulnerability. The <span style="color: MediumBlue"><strong>extra damage</strong></span> from Covenant Manifestation is quite good and really adds up as your bursts and blasts get bigger. Fades in power somewhat by epic; the sky blue rating is based on the excellent 1-13 powers.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: MediumBlue"><strong>Covenant of Preservation</strong></span> (PHB2)</p><p></p><p>Focused on protecting your allies, Covenant of Preservation has the advantage that many of the powers you choose will only hit enemies. The <span style="color: MediumBlue"><strong>riders</strong></span> on preservation powers are often focused on movement/chessmastery or bonuses to defenses/penalties to monster attacks. <span style="color: MediumBlue"><strong>Preserver's Rebuke</strong></span> is the weakest of the CD powers by itself, but it’s relatively easy to trigger; at epic, it becomes much better as it can grant an extra basic attack. The <span style="color: DarkTurquoise"><strong>sliding</strong></span> from Covenant Manifestation has many uses, including granting allies with Agile Opportunist extra basic attacks and removing allies from your bursts/blasts.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: MediumBlue"><strong>Covenant of Malediction</strong></span> (DP)</p><p></p><p>Malvokers specialize in close blast/burst powers, many of which have drawbacks of self-dazing/stunning. This drawback has since been mitigated somewhat by the Superior Will feat. However, using close powers is still obviously riskier than area/ranged attacks. The <strong>riders</strong> on Malediction powers are rather lackluster, focusing on reducing the drawback, or giving penalties to saves; the increased burst size riders on some of the Word powers are better, though. The <span style="color: DarkTurquoise"><strong>Maledictor's Doom</strong></span> Channel Divinity power is fantastic at heroic/paragon: it's proactive, unlike the other covenants' powers, and, with Crushing Doom, it can prevent a ton of monster damage for one turn. The <span style="color: MediumBlue"><strong>pushing</strong></span> from Covenant Manifestation can also be useful for getting adjacent mobs in your close blasts one more square away from you. At epic, <span style="color: DarkTurquoise"><strong>this covenant</strong></span> is the best possible build due to the amazing rider on Word of Bewilderment (which can be burst 6, roll twice with Divine Oracle, dominate with Deva/Tiefling Royal Command of Asmodeus, and mitigate the self-stun with Superior Will).</p><p>[/sblock]</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center"></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><strong>Channel Divinity Powers</strong></span></p><p></p><p>Each invoker gets <span style="color: DarkTurquoise"><strong>Rebuke Undead</strong></span> plus one other Channel Divinity power. In this section, I will discuss the merits (and show feat support) of each of the Channel Divinity options.</p><p></p><p><strong>Invoker Channel Divinity Options</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><span style="color: DarkTurquoise"><strong>Rebuke Undead</strong></span>: Although situational, this CD power is amazing when you actually fight undead.</p><p></p><p><strong>Feat Support</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><span style="color: Purple"><strong>Bitter Rebuke</strong></span> (D387): The effect on this feat is decent, but you just won’t fight undead enough to justify a feat slot.</p><p>[/sblock]</p><p><span style="color: Black"><strong>Armor of Wrath</strong></span>: It’s radiant damage, which is nice, but requiring you to be hit just makes it too difficult to control. The damage will often just hit some random target. At paragon, you can double the power with Wrathful Outburst, and at epic can hit all in the burst with Indiscriminate Wrath. This power is <span style="color: MediumBlue"><strong>vastly improved</strong></span> if you’re a half-elf w/Defensive Wrath, since you can use it more reliably and damage the target you want. The main problem with AoW is that it’s weak at heroic, and, at paragon onward, you’re unlikely to find room for these feats</p><p></p><p><strong>Feat Support</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><strong>Heroic</strong></p><p></p><p><span style="color: Purple"><strong>Armor of Burning Wrath</strong></span> (DP): Too small a benefit for a 1/encounter ability.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: Crimson"><strong>Wrath of Ages Past</strong></span> (Dwarf) (DP): Again, this will happen way too rarely to matter.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: Black"><strong>Wrath of the Mountain King</strong></span> (Goliath) (DP): At least this effect is decent, although 1/encounter prone still isn’t anything amazing. Better if you have Wrathful Outburst.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: Crimson"><strong>Armor of Winter</strong></span> (D380): Again, too rare a situation to justify a feat.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: MediumBlue"><strong>Defensive Wrath</strong></span> (Half-Elf) (D385): Fixes the main drawback of this CD power, and allows you much more flexibility as to when you can use it.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: Black"><strong>Scouring Wrath</strong></span> (PHB2): Decent, but vuln 2 to a target that may or may not be the focus is problematic. With Defensive Wrath+multiple targets, this gets better.</p><p></p><p><strong>Paragon</strong></p><p></p><p><span style="color: Crimson"><strong>Focused Wrath</strong></span> (DP): Extra damage is nice, but when will you only have one target within 5 squares of you?</p><p></p><p><span style="color: MediumBlue"><strong>Wrathful Outburst</strong></span> (D387): Doubles the effectiveness of your Armor of Wrath. If you’re a half-elf w/Defensive Wrath, then this becomes better.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: Black"><strong>Wrathful Panoply</strong></span> (D387): Not terrible, but bonus to defenses for one turn isn’t all that great.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: Black"><strong>Overbearing Retribution</strong></span> (PHB2): See Wrath of the Mountain King. Gets better at epic when you can hit more targets, but prone is also decreasingly effective then.</p><p></p><p><strong>Epic</strong></p><p></p><p><span style="color: MediumBlue"><strong>Indiscriminate Wrath</strong></span> (DP): Like Wrathful Outburst, this is a solid choice, allowing your Armor of Wrath to hit everyone. Competition for feats at epic is fierce, though. Again, if you’re a half-elf with Defensive Wrath, the ease of use makes this better. </p><p></p><p><span style="color: Black"><strong>Binding Wrath</strong></span> (D387): Not a terrible feat, but having to give up all of the damage to immobilize is just ok. You’d really rather do the damage+prone from Overbearing Retribution than this.</p><p>[/sblock]</p><p></p><p><span style="color: DarkTurquoise"><strong>Maledictor’s Doom</strong></span>: My favorite of the CD powers, because it’s proactive and can be used exactly when you want. The -1 to saves can be quite good combined with saves ends dailies. At heroic, the damage debuff from Crushing Doom is extremely significant (making this monstrously better than the other Covenant CD powers), and this is when you can easily find room for 1 extra feat. This makes the power very strong for a much longer period of time than the other CD powers, hence its higher rating.</p><p></p><p><strong>Feat Support</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><strong>Heroic</strong></p><p></p><p><span style="color: Crimson"><strong>Demonbane Malediction</strong></span> (DP): How often are you fighting elementals? Too situational.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: Purple"><strong>Dreadful Doom</strong></span> (Revenant) (D380): Adding cold and necrotic pushes isn’t worth a feat.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: DarkTurquoise"><strong>Crushing Doom</strong></span> (D387): A reliable way to mitigate this much damage in a close blast 5 is incredible at heroic (like adding a weakened rider). Although this doesn’t fully scale to epic (by then it’s probably half a weaken), it’s still quite solid for a single feat investment.</p><p></p><p><strong>Paragon</strong></p><p></p><p><span style="color: MediumBlue"><strong>Footsteps of Doom</strong></span> (DP): Although it goes well with Astral Terror or Visions of Blood, this usually isn’t going to be that much damage due to the Fear restriction. But it’s definitely enough just off your own damage to be decent.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: Purple"><strong>Accursed Isolation</strong></span> (D387): The last thing you want to do w/Maledictor’s Doom is target only one creature.</p><p></p><p><strong>Epic</strong></p><p></p><p><span style="color: Black"><strong>Unbearable Malediction</strong></span> (DP): Adding to the push on fear powers is decent enough.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: MediumBlue"><strong>Cascading Doom</strong></span> (D387): Vulnerable 3 damage to a bunch of monsters for one turn isn’t bad, if you set it up right.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: Purple"><strong>Inexorable Tide</strong></span> (D387): It seems difficult to find a use for one turn of pushes.</p><p>[/sblock]</p><p></p><p><span style="color: MediumBlue"><strong>Preserver’s Rebuke</strong></span>: Although this power is reactive, it is pretty easy to use, since your allies *will* get hit. Unsupported, it is probably the weakest of the CDs in power (although easier to trigger). Most of the feats are lackluster, but there’s one good one in each tier. Like Armor of Wrath, this power just isn’t that great in heroic, and doesn’t really get better unless you devote feats to it in paragon/epic.</p><p></p><p><strong>Feat Support</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><strong>Heroic</strong></p><p></p><p><span style="color: Black"><strong>Astral Preservation</strong></span> (Deva) (DP): A decent bonus to defenses, but how long are bloodied creatures living in heroic tier?</p><p></p><p><span style="color: Black"><strong>Deadly Rebuke</strong></span> (DP): Not a bad damage bonus, but it almost has to be on an area effect power to be worth it.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: Purple"><strong>Elemental Rebuke</strong></span> (Genasi) (DP): Hard to control if these bonuses would ever be useful.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: Purple"><strong>Fey Preserver</strong></span> (Eladrin) (DP): Might occasionally be useful, but mostly the ally could just shift anyways.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: Black"><strong>Preserving Concealment</strong></span> (Gnome) (DP): Concealment for a turn isn’t bad.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: Black"><strong>Advantageous Rebuke</strong></span> (D378): Combat advantage for one round is ok but nothing special.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: Purple"><strong>Preserver’s Summons</strong></span> (D387): Again, not generally that useful, except when the ally is marked.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: Black"><strong>Preserver’s Shadows</strong></span> (Shadar-Kai) (D387): Giving insubstantial for a turn is decent.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: MediumBlue"><strong>Insightful Preservation</strong></span> (PHB2): This is a decent amount of temp hit points at heroic tier. The feat doesn’t scale well at all, though; should be dumped at paragon..</p><p></p><p><strong>Paragon</strong></p><p></p><p><span style="color: MediumBlue"><strong>Preserver’s Fury</strong></span> (D387): This allows for some decent nova, although it’s a bit slow (has to pass through your turn first, etc.)</p><p></p><p><strong>Epic</strong></p><p></p><p><span style="color: MediumBlue"><strong>Guiding Rebuke</strong></span> (DP): This seems pretty solid, giving a striker ally a substantial bonus to one attack. This is better with a single large attack than it is someone who multiattacks, though.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: DarkTurquoise"><strong>Preserver’s Command</strong></span> (D387): The best of the feat buffs to Preserver’s Rebuke, this should be good for an extra basic attack from a striker every fight.</p><p></p><p>[/sblock]</p><p>[/sblock]</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center"></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><strong>Covenant Manifestations</strong></span></p><p></p><p>Each of the three covenants gets a Covenant Manifestation, which can be performed whenever the invoker uses a daily or encounter invoker attack power. In addition, there are some feats that effectively give an invoker an “extra” manifestation; these will be discussed below. Note that hybrids DO get the Covenant Manifestation; however, the best feat <strong>Avandra's Covenant</strong> is not available to them because they do not technically have the "Divine Covenant" class feature. Your DM may allow this on a hybrid, though; if so, it's very worth it.</p><p></p><p><strong>Covenant Manifestations and Feat Support</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><strong>General Feats</strong></p><p></p><p><span style="color: DarkTurquoise"><strong>Avandra’s Covenant</strong></span> (Avandra, Heroic) (D384): Excellent feat that lets you grant saving throws instead of using your manifestation. In non-LFR games, you can worship multiple deities, so you can often fit this in even if you worship a different god for domain reasons. Doesn't work by RAW for hybrids.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: Red"><strong>Breath of the Gods</strong></span> (Dragonborn, Heroic) (D387): This is pretty useless.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: Purple"><strong>Dubious Manifestation</strong></span> (Drow, Heroic) (D387): Unless you have a permanent cloud of darkness, this doesn’t do much.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: Purple"><strong>Flexible Covenant</strong></span> (Changeling, Heroic) (D387): Not completely worthless, but not worth a feat slot, either.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: Black"><strong>Mobile Covenant</strong></span> (Razorclaw Shifter, Heroic) (D387): Pretty decent amount of mobility in place of your manifestation.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: Black"><strong>Resonating Covenant</strong></span> (Heroic) (PHB2): Not bad, but too restrictive in that it makes you alternate encounters/at-wills, which you often don’t want to do.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: Purple"><strong>Ancient Covenant of Nessus</strong></span> (Tiefling, Heroic) (PHR:TF): Sure, you can grant your allies basic attacks if you're willing to target them with your unfriendly powers AND deal fire damage to them. A crappy deal.</p><p><span style="color: Purple"><strong>Covenant of the Raven Queen</strong></span> (Raven Queen, Paragon) (D380): This would be solid against undead, but, again, unless you’re fighting undead all the time, not worth it.</p><p></p><p><strong>Covenant of Malediction</strong></p><p></p><p>Manifestation: <span style="color: MediumBlue"><strong>Malediction Push</strong></span>: Pushing enemies isn’t bad, especially since your close blasts often put you adjacent to enemies.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: Black"><strong>Baleful Malediction</strong></span> (Heroic) (DP): One problem with this feat is it’s the targets you DON’T hit with your close blast powers that you’re worried about, as the ones you do hit will often be blinded, stunned, dominated, etc. So this isn’t as good as it looks, but it’s not bad, either.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: Black"><strong>Forceful Covenant</strong></span> (Paragon) (DP): Adding one square to your pushes can be decent, but probably not worth a feat slot.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: Black"><strong>Great Malediction</strong></span> (Epic) (DP): Pushing all targets you hit could have some applications, but, again, it’s hard to justify a slot for this.</p><p></p><p><strong>Covenant of Preservation</strong></p><p></p><p>Manifestation: <span style="color: DarkTurquoise"><strong>Preserver Slide</strong></span>: This rating assumes you have an ally with Agile Opportunist, as the sliding can provide immediate action basics. The slide is also useful for rescuing your allies from your unfriendly blasts and bursts. This covenant shines in subpar groups with strikers that aren't correctly built to use their immediate actions (or are Essentials strikers and simply don't have access).</p><p></p><p><span style="color: Black"><strong>Preserver’s Call</strong></span> (Kalashtar, Heroic) (DP): This can be decent to set up area burst powers. It doesn’t seem that great on close blasts, though.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: Purple"><strong>Warding Covenant</strong></span> (Paragon) (DP): Giving one ally defense against combat advantage for a turn is pretty bad.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: MediumBlue"><strong>Broadened Manifestation</strong></span> (Paragon) (D378): Decent enough, gives you three-four more slides an encounter. If you have two strikers with Agile Opportunist, this becomes <span style="color: DarkTurquoise"><strong>stellar</strong></span>.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: MediumBlue"><strong>Superior Preservation</strong></span> (Epic) (D378): Granting 3-4 rounds of temporary hit points is not bad.</p><p></p><p><strong>Covenant of Wrath</strong></p><p></p><p>Manifestation: <span style="color: MediumBlue"><strong>Wrath Bonus Damage</strong></span>: Although not very tactical like the slide/push from other manifestations, extra damage is nothing to scoff at. On average, it’s like having a +2/+3/+4 damage feat, which is obviously solid.</p><p></p><p>[/sblock] </p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Veep, post: 6708043, member: 6793297"] [CENTER][/CENTER] [Size=5][b]Core Class Mechanics[/b][/size] Invokers are an “A-class”, meaning they use a single stat as their primary stat, while their secondary stat changes based on which build they choose. Like most controllers, their hit points and base surges are weak, although Constitution as a viable secondary stat helps this somewhat. [b]Game Mechanics[/b] [sblock] [COLOR=Purple][b]Hit Points[/b][/COLOR]: 10+Con, 4 per level [COLOR=Purple][b]Surges[/b][/COLOR]: 6+Con. Worth noting this is really not that bad for invokers that use Con, though. [COLOR=DarkTurquoise][b]Defenses[/b][/COLOR]: +1 to Fort/Ref/Will [COLOR=MediumBlue][b]Armor[/b][/COLOR]: Chainmail, which is better than average for a controller [COLOR=Black][b]Weapons[/b][/COLOR]: Simple melee/ranged, pretty average, doesn’t really matter. [COLOR=Black][b]Implements[/b][/COLOR]: Rods/staffs, pretty average for a controller, only 2 implements. [COLOR=MediumBlue][b]Skill List[/b][/COLOR]: The skill list of invokers is pretty good for Intelligence-based builds. Con-based builds have little to choose from, though, and the Cha-based skills on the list are mystifying. [/sblock] [b]Class Features[/b] [sblock] [COLOR=MediumBlue][b]Channel Divinity[/b][/COLOR]: A useful if not amazing feature. [COLOR=MediumBlue][b]Divine Covenant[/b][/COLOR]: Again, a solid option, but not so amazing that hybrids can’t live without it. [COLOR=MediumBlue][b]Ritual Casting[/b][/COLOR]: Again, a useful but not essential class feature. [/sblock] [b]Skills[/b] [sblock] [b]Class Skills[/b] [COLOR=MediumBlue][b]Arcana[/b][/COLOR]: This is great for an Int-based invoker. For a Con-based invoker, it’s fairly worthless if some other party member with Int has it. [COLOR=Purple][b]Diplomacy[/b][/COLOR]: Keys off a stat we don’t use. Unless you go Devoted Orator, this is kind of bad. [COLOR=MediumBlue][b]Endurance[/b][/COLOR]: Good for Con-vokers. Bad for Int-vokers. [COLOR=MediumBlue][b]History[/b][/COLOR]: Same as Arcana. Very useful for Int invokers. If you’re Con-based, it’s only good if no one else in the party with Int has it. [COLOR=DarkTurquoise][b]Insight[/b][/COLOR]: Keys off our primary stat, and it’s a useful skill in many situations. Every invoker will likely take this. [COLOR=Purple][b]Intimidate[/b][/COLOR]: Keys off a stat we don’t use. Useful skill, but we’re bad at it. [COLOR=MediumBlue][b]Religion[/b][/COLOR]: Another knowledge skill useful to Int-vokers but not so great for Con-vokers. [b]Relevant Non-Class Skills[/b] [COLOR=MediumBlue][b]Dungeoneering[/b][/COLOR]: A decent skill that keys off your primary stat. [COLOR=DarkTurquoise][b]Perception[/b][/COLOR]: A fantastic skill for any Wis-based class, if you can find a way to get it. [/sblock] [CENTER][/CENTER] [Size=3][b]Choosing Your Covenant[/b][/size] The first and most important decision you must make as an invoker is which covenant to pursue. Your covenant determines three things about your character: the riders on your powers, your Channel Divinity encounter power, and your Covenant Manifestation (which you can use whenever you use a divine encounter/daily attack power). [b]Hybrids do not get the covenant power or the covenant riders, but they do get the manifestation.[/b] This has a large impact on power selection for hybrids, as some of the best powers are only so because of their riders. Covenant of Wrath is generally the best option pre-epic due to strong riders, while Covenant of Malediction is the best choice at epic due to the rider on the level 23. Covenant of Preservation is really only competitive if your party has strikers (particularly Essentials strikers) who can make heavy use of Agile Opportunist. [b]The Three Covenants[/b] [sblock] [COLOR=DarkTurquoise][b]Covenant of Wrath[/b][/COLOR] (PHB2) Although ostensibly focused on dealing damage, choosing Covenant of Wrath gives you access to many powerful enabling riders, such as Lightning's Revelation and Rain of Blood. The [COLOR=DarkTurquoise][b]riders[/b][/COLOR] are the best of any of the covenants pre-epic. The [COLOR=Black][b]Armor of Wrath[/b][/COLOR] Channel Divinity power is fairly weak at heroic, but can become decent at epic, especially if you can exploit radiant vulnerability. The [COLOR=MediumBlue][b]extra damage[/b][/COLOR] from Covenant Manifestation is quite good and really adds up as your bursts and blasts get bigger. Fades in power somewhat by epic; the sky blue rating is based on the excellent 1-13 powers. [COLOR=MediumBlue][b]Covenant of Preservation[/b][/COLOR] (PHB2) Focused on protecting your allies, Covenant of Preservation has the advantage that many of the powers you choose will only hit enemies. The [COLOR=MediumBlue][b]riders[/b][/COLOR] on preservation powers are often focused on movement/chessmastery or bonuses to defenses/penalties to monster attacks. [COLOR=MediumBlue][b]Preserver's Rebuke[/b][/COLOR] is the weakest of the CD powers by itself, but it’s relatively easy to trigger; at epic, it becomes much better as it can grant an extra basic attack. The [COLOR=DarkTurquoise][b]sliding[/b][/COLOR] from Covenant Manifestation has many uses, including granting allies with Agile Opportunist extra basic attacks and removing allies from your bursts/blasts. [COLOR=MediumBlue][b]Covenant of Malediction[/b][/COLOR] (DP) Malvokers specialize in close blast/burst powers, many of which have drawbacks of self-dazing/stunning. This drawback has since been mitigated somewhat by the Superior Will feat. However, using close powers is still obviously riskier than area/ranged attacks. The [b]riders[/b] on Malediction powers are rather lackluster, focusing on reducing the drawback, or giving penalties to saves; the increased burst size riders on some of the Word powers are better, though. The [COLOR=DarkTurquoise][b]Maledictor's Doom[/b][/COLOR] Channel Divinity power is fantastic at heroic/paragon: it's proactive, unlike the other covenants' powers, and, with Crushing Doom, it can prevent a ton of monster damage for one turn. The [COLOR=MediumBlue][b]pushing[/b][/COLOR] from Covenant Manifestation can also be useful for getting adjacent mobs in your close blasts one more square away from you. At epic, [COLOR=DarkTurquoise][b]this covenant[/b][/COLOR] is the best possible build due to the amazing rider on Word of Bewilderment (which can be burst 6, roll twice with Divine Oracle, dominate with Deva/Tiefling Royal Command of Asmodeus, and mitigate the self-stun with Superior Will). [/sblock] [CENTER][/CENTER] [Size=3][b]Channel Divinity Powers[/b][/size] Each invoker gets [COLOR=DarkTurquoise][b]Rebuke Undead[/b][/COLOR] plus one other Channel Divinity power. In this section, I will discuss the merits (and show feat support) of each of the Channel Divinity options. [b]Invoker Channel Divinity Options[/b] [sblock] [COLOR=DarkTurquoise][b]Rebuke Undead[/b][/COLOR]: Although situational, this CD power is amazing when you actually fight undead. [b]Feat Support[/b] [sblock] [COLOR=Purple][b]Bitter Rebuke[/b][/COLOR] (D387): The effect on this feat is decent, but you just won’t fight undead enough to justify a feat slot. [/sblock] [COLOR=Black][b]Armor of Wrath[/b][/COLOR]: It’s radiant damage, which is nice, but requiring you to be hit just makes it too difficult to control. The damage will often just hit some random target. At paragon, you can double the power with Wrathful Outburst, and at epic can hit all in the burst with Indiscriminate Wrath. This power is [COLOR=MediumBlue][b]vastly improved[/b][/COLOR] if you’re a half-elf w/Defensive Wrath, since you can use it more reliably and damage the target you want. The main problem with AoW is that it’s weak at heroic, and, at paragon onward, you’re unlikely to find room for these feats [b]Feat Support[/b] [sblock] [b]Heroic[/b] [COLOR=Purple][b]Armor of Burning Wrath[/b][/COLOR] (DP): Too small a benefit for a 1/encounter ability. [COLOR=Crimson][b]Wrath of Ages Past[/b][/COLOR] (Dwarf) (DP): Again, this will happen way too rarely to matter. [COLOR=Black][b]Wrath of the Mountain King[/b][/COLOR] (Goliath) (DP): At least this effect is decent, although 1/encounter prone still isn’t anything amazing. Better if you have Wrathful Outburst. [COLOR=Crimson][b]Armor of Winter[/b][/COLOR] (D380): Again, too rare a situation to justify a feat. [COLOR=MediumBlue][b]Defensive Wrath[/b][/COLOR] (Half-Elf) (D385): Fixes the main drawback of this CD power, and allows you much more flexibility as to when you can use it. [COLOR=Black][b]Scouring Wrath[/b][/COLOR] (PHB2): Decent, but vuln 2 to a target that may or may not be the focus is problematic. With Defensive Wrath+multiple targets, this gets better. [b]Paragon[/b] [COLOR=Crimson][b]Focused Wrath[/b][/COLOR] (DP): Extra damage is nice, but when will you only have one target within 5 squares of you? [COLOR=MediumBlue][b]Wrathful Outburst[/b][/COLOR] (D387): Doubles the effectiveness of your Armor of Wrath. If you’re a half-elf w/Defensive Wrath, then this becomes better. [COLOR=Black][b]Wrathful Panoply[/b][/COLOR] (D387): Not terrible, but bonus to defenses for one turn isn’t all that great. [COLOR=Black][b]Overbearing Retribution[/b][/COLOR] (PHB2): See Wrath of the Mountain King. Gets better at epic when you can hit more targets, but prone is also decreasingly effective then. [b]Epic[/b] [COLOR=MediumBlue][b]Indiscriminate Wrath[/b][/COLOR] (DP): Like Wrathful Outburst, this is a solid choice, allowing your Armor of Wrath to hit everyone. Competition for feats at epic is fierce, though. Again, if you’re a half-elf with Defensive Wrath, the ease of use makes this better. [COLOR=Black][b]Binding Wrath[/b][/COLOR] (D387): Not a terrible feat, but having to give up all of the damage to immobilize is just ok. You’d really rather do the damage+prone from Overbearing Retribution than this. [/sblock] [COLOR=DarkTurquoise][b]Maledictor’s Doom[/b][/COLOR]: My favorite of the CD powers, because it’s proactive and can be used exactly when you want. The -1 to saves can be quite good combined with saves ends dailies. At heroic, the damage debuff from Crushing Doom is extremely significant (making this monstrously better than the other Covenant CD powers), and this is when you can easily find room for 1 extra feat. This makes the power very strong for a much longer period of time than the other CD powers, hence its higher rating. [b]Feat Support[/b] [sblock] [b]Heroic[/b] [COLOR=Crimson][b]Demonbane Malediction[/b][/COLOR] (DP): How often are you fighting elementals? Too situational. [COLOR=Purple][b]Dreadful Doom[/b][/COLOR] (Revenant) (D380): Adding cold and necrotic pushes isn’t worth a feat. [COLOR=DarkTurquoise][b]Crushing Doom[/b][/COLOR] (D387): A reliable way to mitigate this much damage in a close blast 5 is incredible at heroic (like adding a weakened rider). Although this doesn’t fully scale to epic (by then it’s probably half a weaken), it’s still quite solid for a single feat investment. [b]Paragon[/b] [COLOR=MediumBlue][b]Footsteps of Doom[/b][/COLOR] (DP): Although it goes well with Astral Terror or Visions of Blood, this usually isn’t going to be that much damage due to the Fear restriction. But it’s definitely enough just off your own damage to be decent. [COLOR=Purple][b]Accursed Isolation[/b][/COLOR] (D387): The last thing you want to do w/Maledictor’s Doom is target only one creature. [b]Epic[/b] [COLOR=Black][b]Unbearable Malediction[/b][/COLOR] (DP): Adding to the push on fear powers is decent enough. [COLOR=MediumBlue][b]Cascading Doom[/b][/COLOR] (D387): Vulnerable 3 damage to a bunch of monsters for one turn isn’t bad, if you set it up right. [COLOR=Purple][b]Inexorable Tide[/b][/COLOR] (D387): It seems difficult to find a use for one turn of pushes. [/sblock] [COLOR=MediumBlue][b]Preserver’s Rebuke[/b][/COLOR]: Although this power is reactive, it is pretty easy to use, since your allies *will* get hit. Unsupported, it is probably the weakest of the CDs in power (although easier to trigger). Most of the feats are lackluster, but there’s one good one in each tier. Like Armor of Wrath, this power just isn’t that great in heroic, and doesn’t really get better unless you devote feats to it in paragon/epic. [b]Feat Support[/b] [sblock] [b]Heroic[/b] [COLOR=Black][b]Astral Preservation[/b][/COLOR] (Deva) (DP): A decent bonus to defenses, but how long are bloodied creatures living in heroic tier? [COLOR=Black][b]Deadly Rebuke[/b][/COLOR] (DP): Not a bad damage bonus, but it almost has to be on an area effect power to be worth it. [COLOR=Purple][b]Elemental Rebuke[/b][/COLOR] (Genasi) (DP): Hard to control if these bonuses would ever be useful. [COLOR=Purple][b]Fey Preserver[/b][/COLOR] (Eladrin) (DP): Might occasionally be useful, but mostly the ally could just shift anyways. [COLOR=Black][b]Preserving Concealment[/b][/COLOR] (Gnome) (DP): Concealment for a turn isn’t bad. [COLOR=Black][b]Advantageous Rebuke[/b][/COLOR] (D378): Combat advantage for one round is ok but nothing special. [COLOR=Purple][b]Preserver’s Summons[/b][/COLOR] (D387): Again, not generally that useful, except when the ally is marked. [COLOR=Black][b]Preserver’s Shadows[/b][/COLOR] (Shadar-Kai) (D387): Giving insubstantial for a turn is decent. [COLOR=MediumBlue][b]Insightful Preservation[/b][/COLOR] (PHB2): This is a decent amount of temp hit points at heroic tier. The feat doesn’t scale well at all, though; should be dumped at paragon.. [b]Paragon[/b] [COLOR=MediumBlue][b]Preserver’s Fury[/b][/COLOR] (D387): This allows for some decent nova, although it’s a bit slow (has to pass through your turn first, etc.) [b]Epic[/b] [COLOR=MediumBlue][b]Guiding Rebuke[/b][/COLOR] (DP): This seems pretty solid, giving a striker ally a substantial bonus to one attack. This is better with a single large attack than it is someone who multiattacks, though. [COLOR=DarkTurquoise][b]Preserver’s Command[/b][/COLOR] (D387): The best of the feat buffs to Preserver’s Rebuke, this should be good for an extra basic attack from a striker every fight. [/sblock] [/sblock] [CENTER][/CENTER] [Size=3][b]Covenant Manifestations[/b][/size] Each of the three covenants gets a Covenant Manifestation, which can be performed whenever the invoker uses a daily or encounter invoker attack power. In addition, there are some feats that effectively give an invoker an “extra” manifestation; these will be discussed below. Note that hybrids DO get the Covenant Manifestation; however, the best feat [b]Avandra's Covenant[/b] is not available to them because they do not technically have the "Divine Covenant" class feature. Your DM may allow this on a hybrid, though; if so, it's very worth it. [b]Covenant Manifestations and Feat Support[/b] [sblock] [b]General Feats[/b] [COLOR=DarkTurquoise][b]Avandra’s Covenant[/b][/COLOR] (Avandra, Heroic) (D384): Excellent feat that lets you grant saving throws instead of using your manifestation. In non-LFR games, you can worship multiple deities, so you can often fit this in even if you worship a different god for domain reasons. Doesn't work by RAW for hybrids. [COLOR=Red][b]Breath of the Gods[/b][/COLOR] (Dragonborn, Heroic) (D387): This is pretty useless. [COLOR=Purple][b]Dubious Manifestation[/b][/COLOR] (Drow, Heroic) (D387): Unless you have a permanent cloud of darkness, this doesn’t do much. [COLOR=Purple][b]Flexible Covenant[/b][/COLOR] (Changeling, Heroic) (D387): Not completely worthless, but not worth a feat slot, either. [COLOR=Black][b]Mobile Covenant[/b][/COLOR] (Razorclaw Shifter, Heroic) (D387): Pretty decent amount of mobility in place of your manifestation. [COLOR=Black][b]Resonating Covenant[/b][/COLOR] (Heroic) (PHB2): Not bad, but too restrictive in that it makes you alternate encounters/at-wills, which you often don’t want to do. [COLOR=Purple][b]Ancient Covenant of Nessus[/b][/COLOR] (Tiefling, Heroic) (PHR:TF): Sure, you can grant your allies basic attacks if you're willing to target them with your unfriendly powers AND deal fire damage to them. A crappy deal. [COLOR=Purple][b]Covenant of the Raven Queen[/b][/COLOR] (Raven Queen, Paragon) (D380): This would be solid against undead, but, again, unless you’re fighting undead all the time, not worth it. [b]Covenant of Malediction[/b] Manifestation: [COLOR=MediumBlue][b]Malediction Push[/b][/COLOR]: Pushing enemies isn’t bad, especially since your close blasts often put you adjacent to enemies. [COLOR=Black][b]Baleful Malediction[/b][/COLOR] (Heroic) (DP): One problem with this feat is it’s the targets you DON’T hit with your close blast powers that you’re worried about, as the ones you do hit will often be blinded, stunned, dominated, etc. So this isn’t as good as it looks, but it’s not bad, either. [COLOR=Black][b]Forceful Covenant[/b][/COLOR] (Paragon) (DP): Adding one square to your pushes can be decent, but probably not worth a feat slot. [COLOR=Black][b]Great Malediction[/b][/COLOR] (Epic) (DP): Pushing all targets you hit could have some applications, but, again, it’s hard to justify a slot for this. [b]Covenant of Preservation[/b] Manifestation: [COLOR=DarkTurquoise][b]Preserver Slide[/b][/COLOR]: This rating assumes you have an ally with Agile Opportunist, as the sliding can provide immediate action basics. The slide is also useful for rescuing your allies from your unfriendly blasts and bursts. This covenant shines in subpar groups with strikers that aren't correctly built to use their immediate actions (or are Essentials strikers and simply don't have access). [COLOR=Black][b]Preserver’s Call[/b][/COLOR] (Kalashtar, Heroic) (DP): This can be decent to set up area burst powers. It doesn’t seem that great on close blasts, though. [COLOR=Purple][b]Warding Covenant[/b][/COLOR] (Paragon) (DP): Giving one ally defense against combat advantage for a turn is pretty bad. [COLOR=MediumBlue][b]Broadened Manifestation[/b][/COLOR] (Paragon) (D378): Decent enough, gives you three-four more slides an encounter. If you have two strikers with Agile Opportunist, this becomes [COLOR=DarkTurquoise][b]stellar[/b][/COLOR]. [COLOR=MediumBlue][b]Superior Preservation[/b][/COLOR] (Epic) (D378): Granting 3-4 rounds of temporary hit points is not bad. [b]Covenant of Wrath[/b] Manifestation: [COLOR=MediumBlue][b]Wrath Bonus Damage[/b][/COLOR]: Although not very tactical like the slide/push from other manifestations, extra damage is nothing to scoff at. On average, it’s like having a +2/+3/+4 damage feat, which is obviously solid. [/sblock] [/QUOTE]
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The Art of the Covenant: A Guide to Invokers (By Cazzeo)
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