Soothsayer Build - looking for advice

[AndonSage]

I recently purchased the TQ Gold edition (includes IT), and am having a lot of fun with this game I enjoy playing pet classes in MMORPGs, and my main character in TQ is a Soothsayer, still in Normal. I've read numerous threads in this forum trying to determine a good build, but since there are so many opinions on a good build, I've tried to combine what I've read into a build that fits my play style (pet + me casting). My Soothsayer is currently level 25, although I haven't spent six Skill Points yet, and also have 15 Attribute Points to spend.

Current Equipment
Head: L15 - Spellbound Circlet of Insight (AC20,31%EnLchRes,+12%ElemDmg,7Int,+5%Energy,+20%E nergyRegen,31%EnergyAbsorb)
Chest: L15 - Diogenes' Runed Mantle of Essence (AC36,+11%Int,+44Energy,+6%Energy,+48%EnergyRegen)
Arms: L6 - Glowing Bangle (AC22,12%FireRes,+17%FireDmg,8-12FireDmg,+20%EnergyRegen,+5%EnergyAbsorb)
Legs: L21 - Aristotle's Runed Wraps (AC32,+17%Int,+5%Energy,+21%EnergyRegen)
Ring 1: L15 - 22Int, 29%LightningRes
Ring 2: L8 - (12Int, PetBonus 8VitDmg / +5%VitDmg)
Necklace: L3 - (4Int, PetBonus 8VitDmg / +5%VitDmg)
Alternate Necklace used for Summoning Pets (when a Shrine of Mastery isn't availalbe): +31Offense,+1 to all Spirit Mastery Skills
Staff: Whatever I find that gives me the best DPS, current DPS = 150
Lesser Artifact: L10 Star Heart (+4%ElemDmg,30 Burn dmg/3sec,4%ElemRes,+4%TotalSpd,1-4PiercingDmg)

Skills
This is my Soothsayer build at level 23:

Level 23 Soothsayer Build on TitanCalc
Spirit Mastery: 32/32
Summon Liche King: 16/16
Death Nova: 6/12
Wraith Shell: 12/12
Spirit Ward: 1/8
Spirit Bane: 1/6
Summon Outsider: 1/16

My character has just finished up the Memphis/Giza/Fayum area and is ready to head to Thebes. My play style is to send in the Liche King and help him out with staff blasts (Staff supported with extra dmg and +% Fire dmg and +% Elemental dmg equipment). It's working great so far (I haven't even needed to summon the Outsider yet), but of course I want a build that will work in Legendary. I'm not planning on using Ternion's, I'll let the pets do the main damage.

I think I'm ready to start going up the Nature tree, although I can't decide whether to put points into Dark Covenant/Unearthly Power yet. The only time the Liche King has run out of energy was during the fight with the four huge statues underneath the Sphinx. I still managed to win by running around when I got aggro, since the Liche King takes very little damage.

This is my plan for the next 10 levels:
Lvl 24: Nature Mastery 3 pts (3/32)
Lvl 25: Nature Mastery 1 pt (4/32), Heart of Oak 1 pt (1/12), Plague 1 pt (1/8)
Lvl 26: Nature Mastery 3 pts (7/32)
Lvl 27: Nature Mastery 3 pts (10/32)
Lvl 28: Nature Mastery 2 pts (12/32), Fatigue 1 pt (1/8)
Lvl 29: Nature Mastery 3 pts (15/32)
Lvl 30: Nature Mastery 2 pts (17/32), Tranquility of Water 1 pt (1/6)
Lvl 31: Nature Mastery 3 pts (20/32)
Lvl 32: Nature Mastery 3 pts (23/32)
Lvl 33: Nature Mastery 1 pt (24/32), Permanence of Stone 1 pt (1/6), Susceptibility 1 pt (1/8)
Level 33 Soothsayer Build on TitanCalc

The Heart of Oak tree will provide some help for both me and my pet, and the Plague tree will soften things up, although these levels are mostly for set-up for the following levels. I've also considered moving two points from Death Nova into Dark Covenant & Unearthly Power, and using health potions (which I currently almost never use, and have a TON on a mule) to heal the damage from DC.

Future Plans:

• What yerkyerk posted in another thread (this will require getting up to 32/32 in Nature Mastery):
  Soothsayer has a very nice working triangle for Dark Covenant - for that, you have to max Dark Covenant (mainly for the duration), it's synergy (for some great damage), get refresh at level 11 or 12 (not higher or lower, unless you got some -%recharge equipment) and some good amount of points in Regrowth.
  
  You cast Dark Covenant and immediately after that, you cast Refresh. By the time Dark Covenant has worn off (about 30sec), it can be recast immediately again. This will solve all your mana problems and give you and your pets a very decent boost. Use Regrowth to restore lost life.
• Max Heart of Oak and it's synergies
• Max Plague and it's synergies
• Max Call of the Wild (the wolf pets) and it's synergies

From what I've read in this forum, the wolf pets don't become really useful until Epic, so I'm holding off on those. My big question is in which order I should do the other three in the list? I'm not sure which of those will be necessary before others.

Attributes
Currently Str 50, Int 387, Dex 130, with 15 points not yet used. I've put most of my attribute points in Int, with a few in Dex (for equipment). I read in another thread that the Stonebinder's Cuffs are great for the +3 to all skills, but need Str. Can someone tell me how much Str I'll need to wear them, if I find them? I figure I can get my Str to that number, and that I'll get enough Dex from Nature Mastery without putting more points into Dex, so all remaining and future attribute points can go into Int. Yes/No?

I guess that's all the questions I have for now. Advice appreciated

[Poinas]

Epic Stonebinders: 240 str, 297 dex, +2 skills
Legendary Stonebinders: 320 str, 385 dex, +3 skills

The requirements are quite steep for caster, but you may be able to reach them if you don't spend everything in int. But then again, depending on your items, you will not be able to get enough str and dex while having enough int to wear good mage items.

Increase HoO every now and then, when you reach epic. You get "enough" HP from masteries in normal.

And put 1 pt in Death Ward, it can save your life in a tight spot.

[Galefury]

If you run into problems you should consider Ternion. Some bosses kill pets very easily, and having some sort of offense from your main char should help with that.

[AndonSage]

Originally Posted by Poinas

Epic Stonebinders: 240 str, 297 dex, +2 skills
Legendary Stonebinders: 320 str, 385 dex, +3 skills

Ouch! I really only wanted them for being able to summon +4 pets (without having to find a Shrine of Mastery). I guess I'll have to depend on +Spirit and +Nature skill caster items, although I could probably keep a set of gear just to be able to put them on for summoning. Since I don't even have the normal cuffs, I'm not going to worry about it.

Originally Posted by Poinas

Increase HoO every now and then, when you reach epic. You get "enough" HP from masteries in normal.

Ok, so HoO is something I can leave for later.

Originally Posted by Poinas

And put 1 pt in Death Ward, it can save your life in a tight spot.

LOL! I did that last night, after accidentally aggroing some very fast mobs. Took some big hits before the pet got aggro. Didn't die but it was close, hehe. So I moved one point from Death Nova over to Death Ward.

So with the wolf pets and HoO able to be left for later, which would you get first... the Plague line, or the DC/Regrowth/Refresh triumvirate?

[AndonSage]

Originally Posted by Galefury

If you run into problems you should consider Ternion. Some bosses kill pets very easily, and having some sort of offense from your main char should help with that.

Hmm... I was hoping not to have to invest points in Ternion. Won't a maxed Plague line be enough? Or are there bosses immune to Plague?

[Galefury]

Most bosses have very high resistance to % of HP damage.

[AndonSage]

I searched for an answer to this question, but couldn't find one.

Does the Liche King do any regular damage, such that +% Damage equipment or spells (like Strength of the Pack) would help him? From what I can tell, he does not (he only does Elemental and Vitality damage), but I would just like to get some confirmation.

Thanks

[lulu]

Originally Posted by AndonSage

Hmm... I was hoping not to have to invest points in Ternion. Won't a maxed Plague line be enough? Or are there bosses immune to Plague?

i would say plague+lich king soul blight=GG

add the outsider and the boss won t be a problem at all.

and no,the lich king dont do any regular damage unless u are under a battle standard influence.