How to attain 21 dex first life.

[HongKongKid]

Ok, I am a wf arti that still has to do the +20 LR. Now I am first life so which is the best and most economical way to attain 21 dex. I'm no even sure I will epic. I might just tr. So which is the best way? 3 levels in dex and +2 time or what? Also what are some good packs for runearms and what runearms are those?

[Yamato-San]

Don't aim for 21 Dex. Combat Archery is still bugged and gives only a dodge bonus.
(there are different opinions, but i never noticed a DPS increase)
Corruption of Nature is one of the best runearms, comes in a lot of level variants and can be bought on the AH.
For acid immune mobs use Archaic Device (also on AH) and carry one fire based runearm for doors and webs.
Consider a rogue splash for evasion and sneak damage.

[HongKongKid]

Don't aim for 21 Dex. Combat Archery is still bugged and gives only a dodge bonus.
(there are different opinions, but i never noticed a DPS increase)
Corruption of Nature is one of the best runearms, comes in a lot of level variants and can be bought on the AH.
For acid immune mobs use Archaic Device (also on AH) and carry one fire based runearm for doors and webs.
Consider a rogue splash for evasion and sneak damage.

Im a pure.

[Violith]

Don't aim for 21 Dex. Combat Archery is still bugged and gives only a dodge bonus.
(there are different opinions, but i never noticed a DPS increase)
Corruption of Nature is one of the best runearms, comes in a lot of level variants and can be bought on the AH.
For acid immune mobs use Archaic Device (also on AH) and carry one fire based runearm for doors and webs.
Consider a rogue splash for evasion and sneak damage.

combat archery works, they fixed it. and from the person who tested it. Combat archery works outside of PBS, So your constantly getting a 1W at any range. and PBS gives an extra 1w when in PBS range. its only a 1w, so an extra 1d12 with the best repeating xbow so far (2d8 with a great xbow). so, take it for whats its worth.

https://www.ddo.com/forums/showthread.php/423971-Combat-archery-testing-need-help-interpreting-the-results-please


as for the OP's, since you'll most likely want Improved precise shot (requires 19dex, +11bab) you'll want 19 dex by lvl 15-16 (arti's get bab11 at 15, and get a bonus feat at 16 in which they should be able to take it if they didnt at 15). since you said 3lvl ups and a +2 tome, that means your starting dex is only 16, which should be fine if you got a +2 tome (will hit 18 at lvl7, and at lv8 you can increase it with a lvl up to qualify for improved precise shot, and again at 16/20 to qualify for combat archery at lvl 21). that way you can always change your mind if you pick up more another tome of higher value before then. for each tome upgrade is another point you dont have to spent as a lvl up in dex, as a +5 with 16dex will hit dex21 for ya before lv21.

for leveling up you used to be forced into a certain chain, either force, or an elemental line depending on how you spent your points, but that changed with the enhancement pass since aritificers get a crit line (acid/lightning were the go to) but since aritifcers dont get acid crit anymore (aside from the 5% starting and any items), force is probably the goto (as most lightning have a reflex save and thus can be avoided). Still you'll probably see more damage with an acid cause I believe they apply more spellpower then the force (the exact spell power is depending on rune arm, and its unlisted so you never know how much any of the rune arms are actually applying)

Any that fires multiple shots are decent as you get damage for each bolt which is probably going to be near equal per shot to what another rune arm can do total. damage wise they'll probably all be equal as far as spellpower is concerned, but since shots hit multiple times (up to 5 bolts) its possible to get more damage with them.

force shot are nice since not many mobs are immune to force and arti's get a force crit line -though spike/lucid dreams/archiac device
acid shot are too, The Turmoil Within/glorious obscenity/corruption of nature
other then that, ones that have certain effects (Animus (banishment), Hand of the Tombs (disruption), The Disciplinator (smiting), Toven's Hammer (lightning strike on weapons, and could be upgraded to give +2insightful intel and a torc effect <- hard to get people to run the quest required and do the optional needed for the torc effect)

[Violith]

Im a pure.

if your a pure arti, and wanna remain a pure arti. DONT use the +20LR, That allows you to completely change a characters class. so as a pure arti, you could go pure wizard, pure fighter, etc. It was a special LR given out for the enhancement pass and I doubt you'll get another so save it when you need it, I'd rather use a regular +0 LR, should have a free one of those also or they're rather cheap

[unbongwah]

Presuming you don't want to just buy a +5 DEX tome off the DDO Store...

I just LR+0'ed my lvl 16 pure WF arty; haven't played in over a year, so needed to fix it for U19 overhaul and prep for epic lvls. My plan is base DEX 16 + 2 tome (either loot drop or earned from Favor) + 2 lvl-ups (one @ 16 to get IPS, one @ 24 to get CA) + 1 upgrade tome (which I don't have yet, but I'm sure I'll pull or buy one before lvl 24, right?).

Feat-wise, I think I did: PBS (1), Precision (3), Maximize (4), Empower (6), Prec Shot (8), Heighten (9), Quicken & IC:Ranged (12), SF:Evocation (15), and IPS (16). Remaining feats will be GSF:Evo (18), Rapid Shot (20), ESF:Evo (21), CA (24), <undecided> (26), Ruin (27), Doubleshot (30). [Heighten is for Arcano SLAs; if I stop using them, I'll swap it for something else and just stick w/BB+TacDet.]