Check a Tempest Build please

[~Chauncy]

I am about to TR my first character, and I don't want to screw it up.
Below are the specs I've come up with on a pretty basic tempest ranger. I'd like to make sure I'm not missing something obvious. The only thing I won't listen to is a race other then dwarf - this character is based on my favorite PnP toon and a dorf ranger he will be. I do plan to swap out favored enemies at higher levels.

Thanks for your help!

Geared, but not buffed, here would be the key stats at level 20:
Str 32, Dex 24, Con 30, Int 10, Wis 18, Chr 6
AC 31, HP 531, SP 481, Fort Save 29, Rflx Save 25, Will Save 15


Character Plan by DDO Character Planner Version 03.11.02
DDO Character Planner Home Page (http://www.rjcyberware.com/DDO)

Level 20 Chaotic Good Dwarf Male
(2 Fighter \ 18 Ranger)
Hit Points: 396
Spell Points: 277
BAB: 20\20\25\30\30
Fortitude: 24
Reflex: 20
Will: 10

Starting Feat/Enhancement
Abilities Base Stats Modified Stats
(34 Point) (Level 1) (Level 20)
Strength 17 26
Dexterity 14 18
Constitution 19 24
Intelligence 8 10
Wisdom 10 12
Charisma 6 6

Tomes Used
+1 Tome of Strength used at level 3
+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
+3 Tome of Strength used at level 11
+3 Tome of Constitution used at level 11

Starting Feat/Enhancement
Base Skills Modified Skills
Skills (Level 1) (Level 20)
Balance 4 19
Bluff -2 -2
Concentration 4 7
Diplomacy -2 -2
Disable Device n/a n/a
Haggle -2 -2
Heal 4 24
Hide 2 19
Intimidate -2 -2
Jump 7 21
Listen 0 14
Move Silently 4 20
Open Lock n/a n/a
Perform n/a n/a
Repair -1 0
Search -1 2
Spot 2 8
Swim 7 19
Tumble n/a n/a
Use Magic Device n/a n/a

Level 1 (Ranger)
Feat: (Favored Enemy) Favored Enemy: Undead
Feat: (Past Life) Past Life: Ranger
Feat: (Selected) Toughness
Enhancement: Ranger Skill Boost I
Enhancement: Ranger Sprint Boost I
Enhancement: Dwarven Axe Damage I


Level 2 (Ranger)
Enhancement: Dwarven Armor Mastery I
Enhancement: Ranger Dexterity I


Level 3 (Fighter)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Dodge
Feat: (Selected) Power Attack
Enhancement: Dwarven Spell Defense I
Enhancement: Fighter Critical Accuracy I
Enhancement: Racial Toughness I
Enhancement: Fighter Toughness I


Level 4 (Fighter)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Mobility
Enhancement: Dwarven Constitution I
Enhancement: Fighter Strength I


Level 5 (Ranger)
Enhancement: Dwarven Axe Attack I
Enhancement: Dwarven Spell Defense II


Level 6 (Ranger)
Feat: (Selected) Spring Attack
Enhancement: Ranger Skill Boost II
Enhancement: Ranger Sprint Boost II


Level 7 (Ranger)
Feat: (Favored Enemy) Favored Enemy: Monstrous Humanoid
Enhancement: Dwarven Giant Dodger I
Enhancement: Racial Toughness II
Enhancement: Ranger Favored Damage I


Level 8 (Ranger)
Enhancement: Ranger Tempest I


Level 9 (Ranger)
Feat: (Selected) Improved Critical: Slashing Weapons
Enhancement: Ranger Dexterity II


Level 10 (Ranger)
Enhancement: Ranger Favored Attack I
Enhancement: Ranger Favored Damage II


Level 11 (Ranger)
Enhancement: Dwarven Axe Damage II


Level 12 (Ranger)
Feat: (Favored Enemy) Favored Enemy: Giant
Feat: (Selected) Weapon Focus: Slashing Weapons
Enhancement: Dwarven Constitution II


Level 13 (Ranger)
Enhancement: Ranger Favored Defense I
Enhancement: Ranger Favored Defense II
Enhancement: Ranger Favored Resistance I


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


Level 15 (Ranger)
Feat: (Selected) Power Critical
Enhancement: Dwarven Spell Defense III
Enhancement: Ranger Favored Resistance II


Level 16 (Ranger)
Enhancement: Ranger Item Defense I
Enhancement: Racial Toughness III


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


Level 18 (Ranger)
Feat: (Selected) Lightning Reflexes
Enhancement: Ranger Devotion II


Level 19 (Ranger)
Enhancement: Ranger Favored Damage III
Enhancement: Ranger Devotion III


Level 20 (Ranger)
Enhancement: Fighter Strategy (Trip) I
Enhancement: Ranger Tempest III
Enhancement: Ranger Energy of the Wild I

[~Chauncy]

LOL, either this build is incredibly boring or there is nothing wrong with it.

[WruntJunior]

Okay, where to start....to begin with, your dex is way too high because, unless you're going for ac, you only need 13 dex. Your wisdom is also way too high, as only 14 is needed for ranger spells. I'd take those down at least enough to bump str up to 18, which also saves you a +13 tome.

The feats...lightning reflexes is a very bad feat to take, as is the ranger past life selected feat when you're actually a ranger. Weapon Focus: Slashing is also not a good feat.

As far as skills, I would take one of your fighter levels and use it for rogue, myself, and grab trap skills and umd...they'll be extremely valuable once you have them. Otherwise, the fighter level just lets you get another toughness that you don't really need when you're breaking 500 on a ranger that most likely won't tank.

Personally, as far as feats, I'd go Toughness, Power Attack, Dodge, Mobility, Spring Attack, Improved Crit: Slashing, OTWF, Improved Sunder, and if you keep the two fighter over 1 fighter 1 rogue, another Toughness.

Enhancements are more of a play around with them to get them to work best with your gear thing, so I have no advice there, and favored enemies should be centered around the content you run the most.

As far as race, dwarves make solid choices, with their hp and slightly easier to get weapons. Do try and boost that reflex save a bit, though...getting it over 30 (and preferably close to 40) makes some things a LOT easier. For situations when you don't need evasion, marilith chain (especially epiced) is looking very awesome to me for the higher Sunder dcs.

Hope this helps you, because ranger is (in my opinion) the awesomest class in the game!

[~Chauncy]

Thanks Wrunt! Here are some of my reasons, but feel free to tell me where I'm full of it.

I was going after Dex for AC, and I like Wis for Will Saves, SP, and Spot/Listen to see mobs early. I already have the +3 Str Tome bound to this character, so yeah, I pumped up a couple of secondary stats because I didn't need to Max Str. As you also mentioned I really didn't need more HP, so I don't think maxing Con would help much either.

I took lighting reflex to get reflex saves up (which you recommended a little further on); my first thought would have been to go OTWF but I had read in another forum that a high Str build didn't miss enough with the off hand to make OTWF worthwhile, so lighting reflex was my next choice.

I wasn't impressed with Weapon Focus slashing either, but I took it as a pre-req for Power Crit. I'd be happy to use these two feat slots for a better combo. Perhaps IC-Ranged?

I have another toon that I am going to TR into a rogue ranger with max trap skills so I wanted to focus on fighting with this guy. I do use a variety of bows too when many-shot is available, so another reason my dex was higher.

I have Destruction on my armor, will improved Sunder stack with that?

As for the Reflex save, if I lower my dex and I already have a Resistance +5 item how can I best raise my reflex save. I'm a pretty casual player that doesn't do any epics (I've been playing since '06 and this is my first TR).

Thanks again for your ideas!

[unbongwah]

If you really want AC, you're probably better off making a dwarf Exploiter (http://forums.ddo.com/showthread.php?t=168687&highlight=exploiter). Something like this:


Character Plan by DDO Character Planner Version 03.11.02
DDO Character Planner Home Page (http://www.rjcyberware.com/DDO)

Level 20 Lawful Neutral Dwarf Male
(1 Monk \ 1 Rogue \ 18 Ranger)
Hit Points: 360
Spell Points: 284
BAB: 18\18\23\28\28
Fortitude: 19
Reflex: 19
Will: 10

Starting Feat/Enhancement
Abilities Base Stats Modified Stats
(34 Point) (Level 1) (Level 20)
Strength 16 24
Dexterity 14 18
Constitution 18 22
Intelligence 12 14
Wisdom 12 14
Charisma 6 8

Tomes Used
+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
+3 Tome of Strength used at level 11

Level 1 (Rogue)
Feat: (Selected) Dodge
Feat: (Past Life) Past Life: Ranger


Level 2 (Ranger)
Feat: (Favored Enemy) Favored Enemy: Undead


Level 3 (Ranger)
Feat: (Selected) Mobility


Level 4 (Ranger)
Ability Raise: STR


Level 5 (Ranger)


Level 6 (Ranger)
Feat: (Favored Enemy) Favored Enemy: Giant
Feat: (Selected) Spring Attack


Level 7 (Ranger)


Level 8 (Ranger)
Ability Raise: STR


Level 9 (Ranger)
Feat: (Selected) Improved Critical: Slashing Weapons


Level 10 (Ranger)


Level 11 (Monk)
Feat: (Monk Bonus) Toughness


Level 12 (Ranger)
Ability Raise: STR
Feat: (Favored Enemy) Favored Enemy: Evil Outsider
Feat: (Selected) Power Attack


Level 13 (Ranger)


Level 14 (Ranger)


Level 15 (Ranger)
Feat: (Selected) Combat Expertise


Level 16 (Ranger)
Ability Raise: STR


Level 17 (Ranger)
Feat: (Favored Enemy) Favored Enemy: Construct


Level 18 (Ranger)
Feat: (Selected) Two Weapon Defense (or other Tempest III pre-req)


Level 19 (Ranger)


Level 20 (Ranger)
Ability Raise: STR
Enhancement: Rogue Haste Boost I
Enhancement: Ranger Sprint Boost I
Enhancement: Dwarven Axe Attack I
Enhancement: Dwarven Axe Attack II
Enhancement: Dwarven Axe Damage I
Enhancement: Dwarven Axe Damage II
Enhancement: Dwarven Constitution I
Enhancement: Dwarven Constitution II
Enhancement: Dwarven Spell Defense I
Enhancement: Dwarven Spell Defense II
Enhancement: Dwarven Spell Defense III
Enhancement: Racial Toughness I
Enhancement: Racial Toughness II
Enhancement: Racial Toughness III
Enhancement: Racial Toughness IV
Enhancement: Ranger Favored Attack I
Enhancement: Ranger Favored Attack II
Enhancement: Ranger Favored Damage I
Enhancement: Ranger Favored Damage II
Enhancement: Ranger Favored Damage III
Enhancement: Ranger Favored Damage IV
Enhancement: Ranger Favored Defense I
Enhancement: Ranger Favored Defense II
Enhancement: Ranger Favored Defense III
Enhancement: Ranger Favored Resistance I
Enhancement: Ranger Favored Resistance II
Enhancement: Ranger Favored Resistance III
Enhancement: Ranger Tempest I
Enhancement: Ranger Tempest II
Enhancement: Ranger Tempest III
Enhancement: Rogue Sneak Attack Training I
Enhancement: Ranger Dexterity I
Enhancement: Ranger Dexterity II


For the first 9 levels, you can wear whatever's the best hvy or med armor you have; that plus Mobility (+2 MDB) plus dwarven Armor Mastery should provide pretty good AC. Then you get Evasion at lvl 10 (rgr 9) and monk splash at lvl 11 (or thereabouts); at which point you'll go the pajamas route for AC.

[morticianjohn]

Thanks Wrunt! Here are some of my reasons, but feel free to tell me where I'm full of it.

I was going after Dex for AC, and I like Wis for Will Saves, SP, and Spot/Listen to see mobs early. I already have the +3 Str Tome bound to this character, so yeah, I pumped up a couple of secondary stats because I didn't need to Max Str. As you also mentioned I really didn't need more HP, so I don't think maxing Con would help much either.

I took lighting reflex to get reflex saves up (which you recommended a little further on); my first thought would have been to go OTWF but I had read in another forum that a high Str build didn't miss enough with the off hand to make OTWF worthwhile, so lighting reflex was my next choice.

I wasn't impressed with Weapon Focus slashing either, but I took it as a pre-req for Power Crit. I'd be happy to use these two feat slots for a better combo. Perhaps IC-Ranged?

I have another toon that I am going to TR into a rogue ranger with max trap skills so I wanted to focus on fighting with this guy. I do use a variety of bows too when many-shot is available, so another reason my dex was higher.

I have Destruction on my armor, will improved Sunder stack with that?

As for the Reflex save, if I lower my dex and I already have a Resistance +5 item how can I best raise my reflex save. I'm a pretty casual player that doesn't do any epics (I've been playing since '06 and this is my first TR).

Thanks again for your ideas!

I really appreciate the UMD that you get from 1 rogue level. It's totally worth it even if you don't take DD, and Search (but why wouldn't you). You can go true neutral and still have the UMD to use any weapon in the game. You can swap gear to use heal scrolls, fire sheild scrolls or even raise dead scrolls.

Even with a max str toon you will still come across too many instances where you'll be missing on a 2. It could be after you've lost buffs and gotten raised, or some super high AC mobs. If you're dual weilding daxes I recommend OTWF over lightning reflexes.

I think maxing str from the start would be good (even if you lose a few points elsewhere). Having an odd number isn't so bad either because a +7 item or a +1 exceptional item would even it out again.