Str/Int Thematic Gravelord Build

I'm addicted to making new builds, and I'm not one to use trainers (I might've used a save editor but if I have to make myself invincible and sprint I'd rather just do it the old-fashioned way).

Eventually I'll have a character for every situation and I guess at that point I'll die.  All that remains is a bigass Strength character, a sorcerer, and a Gravelord.

Why not roll them into one?

The only issue is that this is unexplored territory for me.  I've never played a sorcerer, and I've had very limited success with bigass strength guys.  Mugenmonkey doesn't seem to take strength scaling on the Manus catalyst into account so I'm wondering how significant that is.  With my huge strength from the Demon's Greataxe is Manus going to be better than TCC?  The talisman and Greatsword Dance was an afterthought and I'm not too sure about it either.  I'm also considering CMW or even another Dark Bead, seeing as Pursuers+Manus Catalyst means NG+ anyway

On a less important note, headpieces.  I've got all the poise I need so I'm really just looking for something cool and thematic.  Both of the bloatheads are nice, Hollow thief hood, the Dark Sun Crown is pretty cool too but would put me over the weight limit unless I got rid of the talisman.

Any suggestions on how I could tweak this build to make it great?  Like I said, strength and int aren't my fortes so this is gonna be a learning experience.

Thanks!

Manus will be better than the TCC if you have a certain level of Strength, and I think it also might boost dark magic especially but I'm not certain. What is true though is that it's the best cat for Str users.

I know nothing about being a Gravelord servant, but I agree with Ghandi. Using the Manus Catalyst would probably be better damage wise as it has good STR scaling and I believe it gives a boost to dark magic as well. Until someone comes at it with numbers I don't know for sure.

Maybe try to go for a build with a fast roll as being a gravelord servant you have the possibility of being invaded by three people at once and fast moving would be optimal. Otherwise, experience is the best teacher.

I tried, but with the Greataxe I can't find a real way to get fast roll and decent poise without gouging Endurance

You can't make a decent DGA build with fast roll, it takes a lot of sacrifices unless you're at a very high level and have 99 End.

I know which is why I don't make many. I was just mentioning if there is a way to do and still have decent poise, then that might be a better option.

Ditch some strength, boost VIT and END (and a little ATT) and rock the Gravelord Sword at base stats. Maybe even take INT to 36 for some Soul Spear action.. thats my advice. It would look pretty badass with that helm too

http://mmdks.com/2rlh

Grass crest is one of my favorites for STR builds because of how often I two hand, depending on how often you two hand it might be worth checking out. Hidden Weapon is also an interesting spell for UG weapons as it can hide their huge parry windows.

About Manus Cat. The Str Scaling makes it hit harder when you use it as a weapon. In addition it will increase how much damage Abyss Sorcery does. Dark Bead/Orb and Pursuers. It wont effect how much AR CMW gives or boost the damage of any of logan's spells. But a Full hit Dark Bead from the Manus Catalyst is I think the single most damaging action a person can take at max stats (on targets that cannot be Riposted I don't think it out damages the hardest hitting Riposte possible)

EDIT: Big Hat just looks awesome, and it fits the castery theme, I actually wear it with Thorn armor chest often and I like the look. (when midrolling)

http://mmdks.com/2rni meh... best, yet unsatisfactory result =(
my advice: forget the greataxe, yes highest single AR in the game, but the moveset and reach just don't back it up enough. also manus is a awesome offhand weapon, use that R2!

http://mmdks.com/1pen fyi my old (lvl100) midroll variant, but great club/axe long for quickroll! man serpent greatsword for this one maybe...

http://mmdks.com/2rnn scumbag version

http://mmdks.com/2rso

i think this would be more reliable yea the axe is a hell of alot stronger but this machete is easier to hit with most of the time mainly due to range and also with this setup youll have more hp and 1 more spell slot also this (aside from gravelord spell i use crystal spear) is the setup i use on my str intelligence

EDIT: oh and the dark mask is just for the gravelordy theme i use big hat or dusk crown on mine

Pretty lack-luster build

As experience with being a battle-mage, I'll give some advice.
This. I assume the thorns was so that you could cancel backstabs? So I kept that, and still put in some aesthetics so you look interesting. You still have some fairly high poise even though I switched you to the Ring of Favor and Protection, though since you will be mid-rolling while being a gravelord, you need the health. Plus you have more defense this way. Added the crest shield if you don't want to roll past every sorcery, and had you able to switch to the balder shield for normal attacks. Took off the Gravelord Greatsword Dance, since really, it is a tad unnecessary. You will be bs'd by anyone fast enough and could only land this if they underestimate the range, you use this as a wake-up attack, or they don't know what you are doing. So I added another Dark Bead as you will need it for being a gravelord. And yes, the Manus Catalyst gives special bonuses to Dark Magic.

And this. Straying a bit more off your path for the sake of practicality, but still keeping in the nature of it. Took off aesthetics for the most part, but put on a holy robe so you don't look like a total dingus. Put on a Greataxe instead of a DGA because of the weight and stat investment, added a Greatshield because of the extra weight that I had available, plus with the stability on it, you can whack away at people and still block their attacks with nearly no stamina left. Added a crossbow and an attunement slot for extra range, in case they take the defensive and try to heal, and the Dark Orb sorcery because it is very unappreciated(Thanks to Dibs for alerting me of this).



Edit: This is the second version, but with no Greatshield and instead the Ring of Favor and Protection.

Hmmm, this one's a tough nut.  After some googling this mysterious "quality" term I keep hearing, I've shifted in a different direction, how does this look?  58 poise, fast roll, 1474 hp, with great magic weapon and a free slot for one of Dusk's Fun Time Shenanigans sorceries or anything else really.  Pretty much any weapon I want to try, the Murakumo's in there as a default.  Still looks sweet, got a possessed barbarian vibe to it.  Could always switch to mom for more HP.

Put the Int to 16 for Dark Bead, but otherwise seems like a fairly good build.