Panzer Warden (a build by request)

[sigtrent]

[CENTER]This build is from Sigtrent's build request thread (http://forums.ddo.com/showthread.php?t=117232)

Build Name: Panzer Warden
Author: Sigfried Trent
Requester: Cambo
Last Updated: 07/14/10

Key Words [Ranger, TWF, Pick, Tempest, Warforged]

Objectives
The requester wanted a warforged TWF build using picks and bows. He’d mentioned having a wizard splash for healing in his request but in later discussion he decided to drop that. For the re-make I’m going closer to his revision of my request with a pretty standard tempest DPS build.

Design
I didn’t do much that was really creative here. It starts out with straight tempest ranger, takes fighter to grab some mid level combat feats, then settles back into a pretty standard ranger pattern.

Because were TWF with power attack and power attack enhancements it seemed a good idea to crank up attack as well as damage where possible. Favored enemy is heavily leveraged here and crits with the picks should be damned impressive.

I also tried to get as much healing as possible here without taking feats for it. It won’t be amazing but you can top yourself off and you aren’t too hard for others to heal. Will saves also receive some attention so that on balance saves are fairly decent all around on the build.

Hit points are pretty hefty for a ranger and I took pretty much everything available for it. AC and other defenses are decent but nothing special. This isn’t really a tank but it can take some heat while it dishes out the beatings.


Character Plan by DDO Character Planner Version 3.5.1
DDO Character Planner Home Page (http://www.rjcyberware.com/DDO)

Level 20 Neutral Good Warforged Male
(2 Fighter \ 18 Ranger)
Hit Points: 356
Spell Points: 252
BAB: 20\20\25\30\30
Fortitude: 19
Reflex: 15
Will: 7

Starting Feat/Enhancement
Abilities Base Stats Modified Stats
(32 Point) (Level 1) (Level 20)
Strength 18 26
Dexterity 14 18
Constitution 16 20
Intelligence 8 10
Wisdom 10 12
Charisma 6 8

Tomes Used
+2 Tome of Strength used at level 7
+2 Tome of Dexterity used at level 7
+2 Tome of Constitution used at level 7
+2 Tome of Intelligence used at level 7
+2 Tome of Wisdom used at level 7
+2 Tome of Charisma used at level 7

Starting Feat/Enhancement
Base Skills Modified Skills
Skills (Level 1) (Level 20)
Balance 4 14
Bluff -2 -1
Concentration 3 5
Diplomacy -2 -1
Disable Device n/a n/a
Haggle -2 -1
Heal 0 2
Hide 5 19
Intimidate -2 -1
Jump 8 18
Listen 0 1
Move Silently 5 19
Open Lock n/a n/a
Perform n/a n/a
Repair -1 17
Search -1 0
Spot 4 24
Swim 4 8
Tumble 3 5
Use Magic Device n/a n/a

Level 1 (Ranger)
Feat: (Selected) Dodge
Feat: (Favored Enemy) Favored Enemy: Undead
Enhancement: Ranger Favored Damage I
Enhancement: Ranger Favored Defense I
Enhancement: Warforged Healer's Friend I


Level 2 (Ranger)
Enhancement: Ranger Energy Resistence Boost I
Enhancement: Ranger Sprint Boost I
Enhancement: Ranger Dexterity I


Level 3 (Ranger)
Feat: (Selected) Mobility
Enhancement: Ranger Favored Resistance I
Enhancement: Warforged Constitution I
Enhancement: Warforged Construct Thinking I


Level 4 (Ranger)
Enhancement: Ranger Energy of the Wild I


Level 5 (Ranger)
Feat: (Favored Enemy) Favored Enemy: Giant
Enhancement: Ranger Favored Damage II
Enhancement: Warforged Healer's Friend II


Level 6 (Ranger)
Feat: (Selected) Spring Attack
Enhancement: Ranger Tempest I


Level 7 (Fighter)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Power Attack
Enhancement: Fighter Haste Boost I
Enhancement: Ranger Favored Attack I
Enhancement: Warforged Construct Thinking II


Level 8 (Fighter)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Improved Critical: Piercing Weapons
Enhancement: Fighter Strength I


Level 9 (Ranger)
Feat: (Selected) Toughness
Enhancement: Racial Toughness I
Enhancement: Ranger Dexterity II
Enhancement: Fighter Toughness I


Level 10 (Ranger)
Enhancement: Warforged Constitution II


Level 11 (Ranger)
Enhancement: Racial Toughness II
Enhancement: Ranger Devotion I
Enhancement: Warforged Power Attack I


Level 12 (Ranger)
Feat: (Favored Enemy) Favored Enemy: Evil Outsider
Feat: (Selected) Oversized Two Weapon Fighting
Enhancement: Ranger Favored Damage III


Level 13 (Ranger)
Enhancement: Racial Toughness III
Enhancement: Warforged Power Attack II


Level 14 (Ranger)
Enhancement: Ranger Tempest II
Enhancement: Ranger Devotion II


Level 15 (Ranger)
Feat: (Selected) Improved Critical: Ranged Weapons
Enhancement: Ranger Favored Damage IV


Level 16 (Ranger)
Enhancement: Ranger Devotion III


Level 17 (Ranger)
Feat: (Favored Enemy) Favored Enemy: Elemental
Enhancement: Racial Toughness IV


Level 18 (Ranger)
Feat: (Selected) Weapon Focus: Piercing Weapons
Enhancement: Warforged Power Attack III


Level 19 (Ranger)
Enhancement: Ranger Favored Attack II


Level 20 (Ranger)
Enhancement: Ranger Tempest III
Enhancement: Ranger Devotion IV




Play
This is a pretty aggressive build, either with the bow or the picks. Get in there and tear up the enemy. Try not to pull to many critters on you at once though. Pick one target and destroy it, then move to the next. This build can solo fairly well as all rangers can, although it may be expensive to heal yourself at higher levels.

Variations
A 28pt version is pretty easy as none of the feats are stat dependent.

[Cambo]

Thanks Sig..looks neat.

Wondering though how much the Wiz spash is costing me...

If I was to swap Ftr for the Wiz and take Healers Friend to help compensate and stick with regular cure wands
Loose Extend
Loose Wands - Repair M/L/S/C, Stone Skin, Shield
Loose some Mana

Gain Ftr Class Feat
Gain 1 BAB
Gain 4 pts for stats from dropping intel by 4
+1 (3pts) rounding to 30 (1 spend piont from int spare)
+ a couple of HP
+2 to to hit with melee is nice....(1 from BAB 1 from Str)

Or same Benefit from Lvl Ranger except
Loose Ftr Feat
Gain +1 Ac from Barksin...

With the spare 1 ability spend extra from intel change above point Drop Wis to 9 use +1 wis tome to round to 10 wis giving 4 pts to increase dex to 16 for +1 hit with bow, +1 reflex save and dex skills...(already at Max AC for armour...)
go with the put on magi item for mana then remove after buff to cope with lower mana pool.

Also...
Is 48 AC worth the 2 feats at Giant Hold and above ? I seem to think so..
..but If I dropped the Mith Plate and Mith Fluidity, went with the +1 dex option above and 2 Weapon Defense I would only be down 1 AC....and up 1 feat....

I am concenred that -7 from power attack will make me miss too often at end game. Is this a valid concern? I thought the to hit values are already comprimised by a couple to get both bow and Melee together...without finessing.

Thanks a lot for the build....it has made me think a lot about what I want and how to get there...

[kahbel]

I believe you want to maintain an about +35 tohit on elite content with no bard present. Its hard to say if the PA enhancements are a gain or a loss when it comes to that.

Nice build though.

[sigtrent]

I think the wizard level is definately an optional thing. A "I like to click on suff" choice over a "I want to kick but" stance. The other consideration is how much you like to play solo. The wizard level is definately a solo freindly kind of choice but in a group the wand healing is probably not so vital.

I'm not sold on the AC = useless argument. I suppose it depends on how you play. I'm a fairly casual player, I do about as many runs of quests on normal as I do on elite. I think the no AC crowd tends to play on elite only and indeed the hardest quests on elite are pretty unforgiving of moderate AC. But I've run around in the vale with mid 40s ac and I get hit far-far less than mid 30s which is what most of my characters run with. (I have one character than can get to mid 40s and one who can run low 40s.)

At low levels good AC is golden. At high levels, its just one more layer of defense that helps you stay alive but is no guarantee. That's my take at any rate. As a builder its just kind of fun to try and maximize different character values.

Personaly if I dropped Wizard I'd go for another fighter level and try to get weapon specilization, probably right after getting ranger 11.

The power attack may be overkill. It really kind of depends on the enemy you are up against since AC really does vary quite a bit. In general my fighter type characters don't often miss except on the really high AC targets. Personaly I use power attack when I have decent buffs going and just kind of play it by ear. If I miss a lot with it on, I turn it off, if not I leave it on. I always use it when a bard is around to do inspire courage.

I think most DPS type characters should have it as a feat. The enhamcenemtn is pretty give or take. I've only ever personaly used it on my dwarven bard-barian who leaves power attack on pretty much all the time, but he has his own warchanter buffs going all the time and can self cast greater heroism.

[Muirtach]

Just curious, but why 3 fighter levels Sig? you could go with a 13th ranger and 2 fighter, maintain the same amount of feats and boost up your spells a bit better.

[sigtrent]

Just curious, but why 3 fighter levels Sig? you could go with a 13th ranger and 2 fighter, maintain the same amount of feats and boost up your spells a bit better.

I didn't really decide on 3 fighter until I was almost finished with the build. I tend to have a general game plan and then use the character builder a level at a time to see how things are working out. (and at the end it has HP and SP totals which are a pain to calculate)

So I was looking at the last level...
Ranger for +1 barkskin and longer lasting spells
Fighter for Armor mastery

AC was a wash, but I wanted to make use of the dex I already had. The HP really wasn't a serious factor. I think mostly I was looking ahead to level 17 and thinking fighter 4 offered that nice weapon specilization and was more in a hurry to get there than to ranger 14 which doesn't have much happening. So I'd take 17 as fighter and 18 as ranger.

That was my thinking although really eaither one is about as good a choice as the other. I hadn't planned on fighter 3, it just kind of occured to me at the very end.

[Muirtach]

Makes sense when explained that way, was merely curiosity.

[Illuminati]

Sig, what builder are you using for the output? or just html tags?

[Cambo]

I'm not sold on the AC = useless argument. I suppose it depends on how you play. I'm a fairly casual player, I do about as many runs of quests on normal as I do on elite. I think the no AC crowd tends to play on elite only and indeed the hardest quests on elite are pretty unforgiving of moderate AC. But I've run around in the vale with mid 40s ac and I get hit far-far less than mid 30s which is what most of my characters run with. (I have one character than can get to mid 40s and one who can run low 40s.)

At low levels good AC is golden. At high levels, its just one more layer of defense that helps you stay alive but is no guarantee. That's my take at any rate. As a builder its just kind of fun to try and maximize different character values.

Just for feedback If I run around the vale on my rogue with AC of 49 The rats, dogs and scorpions dont hit at all...maybe on a 20 but I can melee them to death wih no sneak attack and take no damage. (tested this recently to see what AC is effective..) The trogs dont seem much better but do hit occasionally, the trolls kick my but unless I use a paralyzer or banisher....

So I definitely see the worth of High 40ish ac in normal etc...as you said hard and elite pretty well own AC below 50...
I guess that comes because some people can hit 60-70 odd AC and if mobs couldnt hit them then those quests would become easy for the right build...

[Cambo]

Just planning out this guy now to start levelling
Going to drop Wiz... I've got a capped battle bard if I want self sufficiency.
So this changes the guidelines given to Sig.

I think - (because ive never done it before) Im happy to leave wis at 9 +1 tome 10 and use an item for wisdom and magi item for mana.

I'll get +1 BAB

I'll put 1 intel point into str to hit 30 and give +1 to Hit / Dam in melee
I'll put 2 points into dex and get +1 hit with bows + 1 refelx save
I'll get +1 AC from Barkskin due to higher range.

Drop Mith plate and mith fluidity (11AC) to Dex bonus and 2WDefense only (9AC)
With Barkskin +1 I'll be down 1AC

With the extra feat take weapon prof piercing for +1 hit

I'll be using docent of quickening so that'll alsodrop AC by 1...but will give extra DPS.
Pretty sure it (docent of quickening) will strack speed wise with tempest but not haste
If i'm hasted I'll switch to a +5 docent

I'll loose a few skills but will skimp on concentration.

All up +3 to hit with melee..+2 on bow -1/2 AC a few extra hp..less mana no Repair crit wands...
Ill take some healers friend to shore up the wand differential.

The + to hit will let me keep Power attack on more often for more damage...

Feedback on the changes welcome...

[Lewcipher]

Only thing I have to say...1 level of wiz = stoneskin wands!