Monkcher with trapping skills - feedback requested

[magical_oldude]

Greetings, I’m a long time lurker and not so often poster. Having recently come back to DDO I’ve settled on, and have been having great fun with, a monkcher variant (12 Monk / 6 Ranger / 2 Artificer) with trapping skills. Basically I have dumped dex in favor of some INT and just enough STR for OC with the rest pumped into WIS.

This is a first life character with access to only +3 tomes (supreme +3 at level 11). I do not plan to TR any time soon. I play this character as almost exclusively ranged and really only switch to melee for emergency KI generation (optimal or not that's just how I roll).

I have a few questions. Please forgive me as I really have searched quite a bit for these answers and haven’t seen any good feedback.

Does dumping DEX completely (i.e. loss of CA and IPS) gimp a mostly ranged (longbow using) character to the point of not being viable DPS? How much DPS am I really losing by doing that?

Are the levels of DD(35), OL(27), and Search(33) sufficient for EE content with some buffs and moderate gear equipped?

What are the preferred epic destinies?
I didn’t see very much available for level 24 so I chose greater wisdom there – better choice?
I chose ED Blinding Speed for 27 – again better choice?
With the doubleshhot CD on manyshot is taking ED doubleshot worth it?

Below is my current build at 20 along with the build to 28. I have a LR pending so I wanted to get some feedback on how I can improve the effectiveness in EE content when I get there. Also the leveling order is not so important since I’ll be LR’ing.

Thanks in advance for your help and feedback!


Character Plan by DDO Character Planner Version 04.19.03
DDO Character Planner Home Page (http://www.rjcyberware.com/DDO)

Monktrap
Level 28 Lawful Neutral Half-Elf Male
(12 Monk \ 6 Ranger \ 2 Artificer \ 8 Epic)
Hit Points: 319
Spell Points: 601
BAB: 16\16\21\26\26
Fortitude: 14
Reflex: 14
Will: 24

Starting Feat/Enhancement
Abilities Base Stats Modified Stats
(32 Point) (Level 1) (Level 28)
Strength 16 23
Dexterity 10 13
Constitution 10 13
Intelligence 15 18
Wisdom 16 26
Charisma 8 11

Tomes Used
+3 Tome of Strength used at level 11
+3 Tome of Dexterity used at level 11
+3 Tome of Constitution used at level 11
+3 Tome of Intelligence used at level 11
+3 Tome of Wisdom used at level 11
+3 Tome of Charisma used at level 11

Starting Feat/Enhancement
Base Skills Modified Skills
Skills (Level 1) (Level 28)
Balance 0 11
Bluff -1 8
Concentration 4 38
Diplomacy -1 10
Disable Device 6 35
Haggle -1 8
Heal 3 16
Hide 0 15
Intimidate -1 8
Jump 3 16
Listen 3 16
Move Silently 0 15
Open Lock 4 27
Perform n/a n/a
Repair 2 12
Search 6 33
Spellcraft 2 12
Spot 7 20
Swim 3 14
Tumble n/a 12
Use Magic Device 3 31

Level 1 (Artificer)
Feat: (Half-Elf Dilettante) Half-Elf Dilettante: Cleric
Feat: (Selected) Point Blank Shot


Level 2 (Monk)
Feat: (Monk Bonus) Power Attack


Level 3 (Monk)
Feat: (Selected) Cleave
Feat: (Monk Bonus) Zen Archery


Level 4 (Ranger)
Feat: (Favored Enemy) Favored Enemy: Undead


Level 5 (Ranger)


Level 6 (Ranger)
Feat: (Selected) Great Cleave


Level 7 (Ranger)


Level 8 (Ranger)
Feat: (Favored Enemy) Favored Enemy: Giant


Level 9 (Ranger)
Feat: (Selected) Weapon Focus: Ranged Weapons


Level 10 (Monk)
Feat: (Monk Path) Path of Inevitable Dominion: Fists of Darkness


Level 11 (Monk)


Level 12 (Monk)
Feat: (Selected) Precision


Level 13 (Monk)
Feat: (Monk Bonus) Ten Thousand Stars


Level 14 (Monk)


Level 15 (Monk)
Feat: (Selected) Improved Critical: Ranged Weapons


Level 16 (Monk)


Level 17 (Monk)


Level 18 (Monk)
Feat: (Selected) Power Critical


Level 19 (Monk)


Level 20 (Artificer)


Level 21 (Epic)
Feat: (Selected) Epic: Overwhelming Critical


Level 22 (Epic)


Level 23 (Epic)


Level 24 (Epic)
Feat: (Selected) Epic: Great Wisdom


Level 25 (Epic)


Level 26 (Epic)
Feat: (Epic Destiny) Epic Destiny: Holy Strike


Level 27 (Epic)
Feat: (Selected) Epic: Blinding Speed


Level 28 (Epic)
Feat: (Epic Destiny) Epic Destiny: Doubleshot



For Enhancements I’m going for mainly wisdom and DPS. I did pick up WASM from Arcanotech for self healing goodness. I also picked up some of the passive KI regen enhancements for +1 (+2 while sneaking). I’ve condensed the list a bit and removed any rank 1’s and 2’s where a rank 3 is present.

Enhancement: Half-Elf - Half-Elven Versatile Nature (RRank 1)
Enhancement: Half-Elf - Human Adaptability: Wisdom (Rank 1)

Enhancement: Arcanotechnician (Art) - Arcanotechnician (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Arcanotechnician (Art) - Wand and Scroll Mastery (Rank 3)

Enhancement: Arcane Archer (Rgr) - Arcane Archer (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Arcane Archer (Rgr) - Morphic Arrows (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Arcane Archer (Rgr) - Metalline Arrows (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Arcane Archer (Rgr) - Conjure Arrows (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Arcane Archer (Rgr) - Energy of the Wild (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Arcane Archer (Rgr) - Shock Arrows (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Arcane Archer (Rgr) - Inferno Shot (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Arcane Archer (Rgr) - Flaming Arrows (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Arcane Archer (Rgr) - Terror Arrows (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Arcane Archer (Rgr) - Soul Magic (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Arcane Archer (Rgr) - Corrosive Arrows (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Arcane Archer (Rgr) - Wisdom (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Arcane Archer (Rgr) - Paralyzing Arrows (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Arcane Archer (Rgr) - Smiting Arrows (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Arcane Archer (Rgr) - Frost Arrows (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Arcane Archer (Rgr) - Wisdom (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Arcane Archer (Rgr) - Moonbow (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Arcane Archer (Rgr) - Arrow of Slaying (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Arcane Archer (Rgr) - Improved Elemental Arrows (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Arcane Archer (Rgr) - Runebow (Rank 1)

Enhancement: Henshin Mystic (Mnk) - Riddle of Fire (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Henshin Mystic (Mnk) - Mystic Training (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Henshin Mystic (Mnk) - Way of the Patient Tortoise (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Henshin Mystic (Mnk) - Contemplation (Rank 3)

Enhancement: Ninja Spy (Mnk) - Ninja Training (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Ninja Spy (Mnk) - Stealthy (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Ninja Spy (Mnk) - Sneak Attack Training (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Ninja Spy (Mnk) - Acrobatic (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Ninja Spy (Mnk) - Sneak Attack Training (Rank 1) – tier 2
Enhancement: Ninja Spy (Mnk) - Wisdom (Rank 1)

Enhancement: Deepwood Stalker (Rgr) - Far Shot (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Deepwood Stalker (Rgr) - Sneak Attack (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Deepwood Stalker (Rgr) - Sniper Shot (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Deepwood Stalker (Rgr) - Stealthy (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Deepwood Stalker (Rgr) - Increased Empathy (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Deepwood Stalker (Rgr) - Aimed Shot (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Deepwood Stalker (Rgr) - Wisdom (Rank 1)

[Rhaphael]

Greetings, I’m a long time lurker and not so often poster. Having recently come back to DDO I’ve settled on, and have been having great fun with, a monkcher variant (12 Monk / 6 Ranger / 2 Artificer) with trapping skills. Basically I have dumped dex in favor of some INT and just enough STR for OC with the rest pumped into WIS.

This is a first life character with access to only +3 tomes (supreme +3 at level 11). I do not plan to TR any time soon. I play this character as almost exclusively ranged and really only switch to melee for emergency KI generation (optimal or not that's just how I roll).
A monkcher with trapping requires a lot of stat and skill points. It would be very suboptimal to try this on a first life character.


Does dumping DEX completely (i.e. loss of CA and IPS) gimp a mostly ranged (longbow using) character to the point of not being viable DPS? How much DPS am I really losing by doing that?
Losing CA and IPS while being a DPS loss will still make you plenty viable provided the rest of your build is good.

Being a 1st life build I would highly recommend going DEX based (this helps keep your OL skill up as well so you can manage with just 4 ranks, thus freeing up the points for other skills) and picking up CA but dropping Power Attack, Cleave, Great Cleave and OC. This frees up 4 feats (3 of which are useless to your build) and exchanges a benefit that only helps you when you crit for a benefit that helps whenever you're in sneak attack range (which should be all the time anyway). You can then pick up IPS plus 2 more feats (Empower Healing is good and 1 other)
If you ever decide to TR you will be able to get both CA and OC, but for a 1st life CA helps you more than OC in my opinion.


Are the levels of DD(35), OL(27), and Search(33) sufficient for EE content with some buffs and moderate gear equipped?
On my lvl 23 trapper I have DD, Search and Spot maxed and OL I only have 4 points in. This is enough for at least every EH, haven't done any higher yet. So yes that should be sufficient provided you can get the extra buffs/gear/enhancements/destiny boosts.


What are the preferred epic destinies?
There are several options:
Fury of the Wild for very high Fury Mulitshot burst damage
Shadowdancer for extra trapper skills and SA damage
Shiradi for more sustained (through random procs) DPS


I didn’t see very much available for level 24 so I chose greater wisdom there – better choice?
I chose ED Blinding Speed for 27 – again better choice?
With the doubleshhot CD on manyshot is taking ED doubleshot worth it?
I didn't see Empower Healing in there. Highly recommended for Cocoon.

[Munkenmo]

He cant take empower healing with his build.

Op, with your current build id pick up improved martial arts as my 24 feat.

Ed doubleshot sadly is pretty useless.