How effectively can potions make up for no direct healing or curing abilities?

Rock

All my adventurers have had some method of healing and curing poison, whether it be Healing, Chivalry, Magery, etc.  I've made two characters now, though, that have no or very little direct healing capabilities. The first build is quite similar to a "sampire's" (it lacks Chivalry, and I doubt he'll ever have their specialized kit):

Pallor, elf, necro samurai
- - - - -
110: Mace, Necromancy
110: Bushido, Parry
100: Tactics, Spirit Speak
 40: Focus, Meditate

His Bushido move of Confidence can regain health and stamina on successful parries. His Necromancy spell of Curse Weapon can regain health on successful attacks.  Late in his build, the Necro form Vampiric Embrace (VE) can also leach life on successful attacks, as well as other buffs and a couple weaknesses.  (Pallor has a long way to go before reaching VE capability, though.) Spirit Speak provides for some low level direct heals, but I do not think these things will be sufficient.  So, even before VE, can Pallor rely on heal and cure potions?  How many potions should he take with him on a solo 1 hour hunt?

The other build is worse off so far as ability to heal and cure go, but I want to try it:

Linus, human, samurai discorder
- - - - -
110: Swords, Tactics
110: Bushido, Parry
110: Music, Discordance
 60: Focus

All he has natively is the Bushido move of Confidence.  So if I want to go forward with this build, he would be almost entirely reliant on heal and cure potions.  Is this realistic?  I know he can have weapons that leach health and armor that offers health regen, but that won't be enough. Can Linus rely on heal and cure potions?

title edited by Mariah

Rock

(In title, I mean no curing, not no poisoning.  Too late to change.  Sheesh!)

Mariah

fixed

Thalon

Rock said:

All my adventurers have had some method of healing and curing poison, whether it be Healing, Chivalry, Magery, etc.  I've made two characters now, though, that have no or very little direct healing capabilities. The first build is quite similar to a "sampire's" (it lacks Chivalry, and I doubt he'll ever have their specialized kit):

Pallor, elf, necro samurai
- - - - -
110: Mace, Necromancy
110: Bushido, Parry
100: Tactics, Spirit Speak
 40: Focus, Meditate

His Bushido move of Confidence can regain health and stamina on successful parries. His Necromancy spell of Curse Weapon can regain health on successful attacks.  Late in his build, the Necro form Vampiric Embrace (VE) can also leach life on successful attacks, as well as other buffs and a couple weaknesses.  (Pallor has a long way to go before reaching VE capability, though.) Spirit Speak provides for some low level direct heals, but I do not think these things will be sufficient.  So, even before VE, can Pallor rely on heal and cure potions?  How many potions should he take with him on a solo 1 hour hunt?

title edited by Mariah

Hi Rock, I have experience with a build similar to yours, but first - Vampires cannot rely on Cure potions or spells that use Garlic as a component. You may want to re-plan your build if you want to rely on cure potions. Pre-vampire I would just stay away from poisoners/casters.

Mine is also a Necro-Samuarai hybrid. Template was :
Sword
Tactics
Necro
SpiritSpeak
Resist
Bushido
Parry

I had various jewerly/weapon combos depending on what role he was fufilling:
- For swinging a weapon with whirlwind - Wraith Form, cast Curse Weapon, jewelry HCI DI
- Solo big nasty - Vampire form, mana leech weapon use honor and lighning strike
- For casting - Wraith Form +Wither or Lich Form +Poison Strike equiped with SDI jewerly

I found him decent for tackling paragons and gold farming, but too weak for champ spawns/peerless. Could be lacking in equipment, do not have enough Legendary Arties to go around yet.

Rock

@Thalon, thank you for the feedback.  I am developing two necro's right now.  One is in his 70s, and a necro/fencer/poisoner.  The other hasn't get his Throwing skill to 60 yet.  Both are proving very effective with no direct healing.  How? Since making the OP, I've learned something. Horrific Beast (HB) form allows casting all necro spells if the build is "focused" on Necromancy. That means no other magical skills, parry, taming, or the Focus skill itself.  Well, you can have a small amount, but not over 30 in any of those skills.  (Apparently not over 25 for gargoyles.)

The main spell I'm finding useful is Curse Weapon.  It adds life sapping to the huge health regen offered by HB.  But he can also summon a pet, re-animate the dead, etc.  The character with 70-level skills is having no problem in Tokuno with Tsuki Wolves, Elite Ninjas, Kappas, etc.  In the Fire Dungeon he has successfully fought giant snakes, fire elementals, and an efreet. Sure, his summoned pet will help, and sometimes a re-animated corpse will too.  He'll even use Spirit Speak occasionally if his health does happen to be notably diminished.  Since his fencing is not yet in the 90s he hasn't been using Poisoning (via the Infectious Strike special move).  Bottom line, though, is Horrific Beast is really awesome, and I think he likes garlic, not that any has been needed.  If vampiric form is better than this, wow.

Rock

My necro poisoner wandered around the Lost Lands for a while, in Horrific Beast form, of course.  One of the foes he encountered was a silver serpent.  He of course ignored my poisoning him, and he poisoned me (UOGuide says it is level 5).  No sweat.  DedFred's HP regen more than kept up with the health loss due to being poisoned, and his mid-70s fencing dispatched it in short time with the help of an exceptionally crafted assassin's spike (no other attributes than damage bonus).  And getting the life drain HPs from Curse Weapon was icing on the cake.  When the serpent was dead, DedFred just watched his green health bar try to go down for quite a while before it finally gave up.  I don't think he has Wolverine's healing factor, but gosh, it is pretty amazing.