Is it common for a low level Dwarf BotO to miss a lot on higher lvl mobs?

[RedeemerRed]

topic

I am finally returning to DDO after a small stint with my laptop having no charger.

I no longer p2p because of my university studies but I am enjoying greatly the f2p DDO.

Anyways I today continued with my Dwarf Barbarian (Bastion of the Outlands) and I forgot how easily and how frequently I missed my targets while in a dungeon with a higher difficulty. I constantly miss.

Is this common while I am a low character?

Every time I level up I continue on my BotO path, so I am sure every Dwarf Barb rolling my path has experienced this.

I just want to make sure this isn't going to be a persistent problem while playing as my (new) favorite class. :)

Before I had a Paladin, but when I started playing again when DDO became free I scrapped him and rolled a Barb, and I love it.

Thanks for any help DDOers!

***Edit: I realize my topic title is misleading, I should have made it more clear. I don't mean higher level mobs (duh, obvious) I meant targets in dungeons with a higher difficulty.

[Consumer]

I don't know what level you are so can't say what your to hit should be at your current level but at lvl 10 (hopefully close to your level):

10 BaB
12 str - 18base+2levelups+4item+1tome+4rage+2frenzy+3power= 34 str with ok gear
2 Angers Wrath
1 Goggles of Insight
1 Axe enhancement
= 26 to hit with PA off

-6 PA (5 base+1enhancement)
= 20 while standing still

Getting a higher + weapon will increase your to hit further, for elites it may be a good idea to get a +3-5 weapon with a single effect (holy,flaming e.c.t.) on it.

This is self buffed and with an arcane, cleric or bard in the party will go higher.

Buy rage pots for +2 str if you can afford them as this will give another +1 to hit.

Always flank a mob if you do not have agro for another +2 to hit.

Tripping a mob will reduce its AC by 4 and with Barbs high str you can land it regularily.

Anything that it stunned will be automatically hit, although this is not applicable at low levels once you get higher landing stunning blows will be beneficial.

Leaving PA on in normal and hard difficulty is normally good but if you find your missing you should turn it off.


edit - forgot weapon enhancement

[dkyle]

First off, the prebuilt paths are generally terrible. Bastion of the Outlands is especially lousy. A barbarian does not need 4 toughness feats. All levelup ability increases should go to STR. I would abandon that path ASAP and start leveling it your self.

As to your issue, Higher difficulty dungeon means higher level mobs means higher AC.

What level are you? What weapon are you using?

[EKKM]

You need to get off that path and follow one of the forum builds. Any barb build that has 4 toughness feats and Sap is seriously gimped. As a word of warning, most of the pre-gen paths are bad, some, like this one, are horrible. I think the fighter kensei one isn't too bad.

If you tell us your level we should be able to fix it for you.,

On topic, if you are running with power attack on all the time you may have trouble hitting high AC mobs. Try turning it off when that happens as less damage is better than no damage.

Also try to take the dwarven axe enhencements to up your to-hit (I assume you use a greataxe), find a high + weapon, flank and use the best strength item you can get. Obviously raging will help as well.

As stated above, the Anger's set and insight goggles from Korthos will help at lower levels.

[Nyvn]

Might look into some of the Korthos Island gear.

Googles of Insight +1 to hit
Angers Boots and Anger's Necklace +2 to hit
+ Strength Item the highest you can find.
+ weapon, the higher + the better if you're missing. Even better than that niffty damage Holy/Frost whatever if you're missing it's not helping.
Rage, it raises your strength thus helping to hit.

[RedeemerRed]

Wow, all of this is great advice.

I didn't think to flank mobs... And everything else is a lot to help me improve my Barbarian.

Well, alright, I am level 7 so I think I might as well restart?

If you guys decide that I should restart, what is a good build that will allow me to take some damage and deal it out as well?

EKKM recommended 'fighter kensei' as a build. How does that one work?

I love the idea of the Barbarian being able to absorb dmg and dish it out at the same time, so if there is a decent build out there that works (28pt) than that is the one I would like to use.

And yes, I use a greataxe. All of the gear info helps me a lot, thank you guys.

[Khanyth]

I was a ftper and took the Savage of the Wild premade build.

Despite the fact that now I know it's not the best, in terms of forums or custom builds, I really have few regrets taking it.

[RedeemerRed]

I was a ftper and took the Savage of the Wild premade build.

Despite the fact that now I know it's not the best, in terms of forums or custom builds, I really have few regrets taking it.

Thank you! I realize now how badly made most (if not all) of the premade builds are. I did two hours of research looking for builds of various classes and examining the pros and cons of each.

Whenever I roll a class I am custom making my character. Yep, Bastion of the Outlands is a poor choice for those who wish to maximize their Barb's potential.

[Noctus]

Moving around while fighting also gives a -4 malus to your to-hit. So stand still when you beat up a monster.

Power Attack is a dynamic stance. Sometimes its best turned off to increase your DPS. (when you are missing noticeable often)

Potions of Heroism are your friend (+2 saves / +2 morale to-hit) for 5min is excellent!

[RedeemerRed]

Moving around while fighting also gives a -4 malus to your to-hit. So stand still when you beat up a monster.

Power Attack is a dynamic stance. Sometimes its best turned off to increase your DPS. (when you are missing noticeable often)

Potions of Heroism are your friend (+2 saves / +2 morale to-hit) for 5min is excellent!

Ah, danke kumpel! Ich verwende niemals tränke lol

Ich bewege mich viel, ich reparieren müssen dass.

But if you don't speak German I apologize. Thanks, I did not realize that moving hurt my chances for a successful hit, but I should have because this is DDO, a very realistic game lol. I also never use many pots, so thank you for the recommendation!

[Noctus]

But if you don't speak German I apologize.

No need. Ich tue das schon ganz gut.... ;)

[EKKM]

Hi,
As you asked for some usefule templates I will pont you to the best new player template section for builds:

http://ddowiki.com/page/Templates_for_New_Players

Lots of options here - the dwarven footmen is a very survivable fighter build that should churn out the DPS. If you like barbarians, then the frezied brute is another good option. Both have the HP to absorb some damage as well.

TBH at level 7 that build can be saved, you need to change the second toughness feet for something. I would have switched the CON and STR in the inital build but it's not horrible. You can get a free feat respec from Lockania in the harbour. I would switch in cleave so you qualify for the frenzied berserker prestige enhancement. Once you do that you are almost on the build as the frenzied brute referred to above.

Starting over has its advantages though, it will take very little time the second time through and you will have a marginally better character as well. Up to you.

[biggin]

I had problems hitting sometimes in lower level quests on elite with power attack on. Also, bards are a barbs best friend. :) Nothing really new to add, but remember all those little +1's add up and make a huge difference. Grab Bless/Aid item clickies if you can. A Divine Power clickie is also nice, but I find them almost useless since I got my Madstone Boots. Grab a Planar Gird as soon as you can from Xorian Cipher. GH is +4 to hit and extremely helpful if there isn't a bard around. As others have said, stand still when you swing and try to flank when you can.

[eulogy098]

http://forums.ddo.com/showpost.php?p=3170353&postcount=4

[Khanyth]

http://forums.ddo.com/showpost.php?p=3170353&postcount=4

Agreed, but some of us (ie: me) took a premade build to see if we liked playing DDO.

[yawumpus]

Changing feats cost 3430plat and an Imperfect Siberys Dragonshard (per feat). At 8th level you need 5120plat, and at 9th level you will need the next level up dragonshard (expect it to be 10 times as expensive). If you have the plat, I'd at least try to fix your character. Once you have the money and dragonshard, go see Fred (the mind flayer who lives under the garden in House J) to change your feats.

Note that as a barbarian, your goal in flanking an enemy is to get it to turn on you and spare the squishy he was attacking (and give the squishy the bonus he needs to hit the enemy). If you are getting so little agro that you can often flank the enemy, you need to fix your character.

As noted, make sure you have all the easily available gear. Anger's wrath (you need the boots from the Korthos hostage quest and the necklace from Misery's Peak) stacks with everything so is a must have if you are not hitting. - Note that one of the responders included it for level 10. I think that at level 9 the heavy fortification necklace in Relic of a Sovereign Past is mandatory (for non-warforged). Also, someone mentioned clickies: you can pull as many clickies of aid (+1 to hit! +11 temp hp!) as you want by running the Cannith crystal quest in Korthos Village over an over. They just aren't as useful to barbarians since you can't click them while raging. Lastly, remember all these items mentioned are free and drop every time. An important consideration if respecing took your last plat.

As far as rerolling goes, you haven't mentioned much of your account. It looks like you had an (EU)p2p account and changed to a (US)f2p account. I have no idea if reactivating your old account as a f2p account has any advantage, but it might change things a bit.

[TigrisMorte]

"no longer p2p ... enjoying greatly the f2p"
your premium not f2p. It is a recognition that you supported DDO. Continuity being what it is, you'll support them again. But regardless, your premium.
Wear it proud!

[MrWizard]

topic

I am finally returning to DDO after a small stint with my laptop having no charger.

I no longer p2p because of my university studies but I am enjoying greatly the f2p DDO.

Anyways I today continued with my Dwarf Barbarian (Bastion of the Outlands) and I forgot how easily and how frequently I missed my targets while in a dungeon with a higher difficulty. I constantly miss.

Is this common while I am a low character?

Every time I level up I continue on my BotO path, so I am sure every Dwarf Barb rolling my path has experienced this.

I just want to make sure this isn't going to be a persistent problem while playing as my (new) favorite class. :)

Before I had a Paladin, but when I started playing again when DDO became free I scrapped him and rolled a Barb, and I love it.

Thanks for any help DDOers!

***Edit: I realize my topic title is misleading, I should have made it more clear. I don't mean higher level mobs (duh, obvious) I meant targets in dungeons with a higher difficulty.

higher level demands that high strength item, high plus item, not moving or spring attack, greater heroism, and anything else, take off ce or PA if you have too. use destruction.

always have to work on that to hit.

[yawumpus]

Sunder should always be available (you may need to put it back on your clickie bar). As a barbarian, I would expect a good chance to hit, and a permanently easier to hit mob. One more thing to try.