Songs from the Slums

[Saekee]

[Heroic full nude run. No items ever to be equipped or carried in pack (not even spell components); no guild ship buffs, leveraging power from PLs, EPLs & a specific build (https://www.ddo.com/forums/showthread.php/470047-Nude-Run-1-20-build-advice?p=5781201&viewfull=1#post5781201) to make this possible. Screenies will feature sometimes stats as I level to give people an idea of progressions. This thread will feature excerpts from this book (http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17456530-songs-from-the-slums).]

Edit: this run is finished! Analysis is here (https://www.ddo.com/forums/showthread.php/473087-Songs-from-the-Slums?p=5951284&viewfull=1#post5951284).

Part I: The Rebirth

http://i.imgur.com/5xqglyp.jpghttp://i.imgur.com/qMaFR8Q.jpghttp://i.imgur.com/4o6rWVd.jpg

[Saekee]

...But here there are slippery streets, which never are dry;
They are lined with open sewers, where rats come out to die...
- Kagawa, 'Shinkawa,' from Songs from the Slums


http://i.imgur.com/VzZzmOA.jpg

Lars Heyton can die...

[Saekee]

"Tattered paper doors stand wide to winds that beat;
The houses are all of a reddish black, like the hue of stale whale meat;
Filth on the flimsy ceilings, dirt in the musty air"
- Kagawa, 'Shinkawa,' from Songs from the Slums

http://i.imgur.com/cYWjjCF.jpg

[Saekee]

"If only there are stars,
I have my friends.
But in the dark
I think upon my fate,
And all
My spirit sickens
And the hard tears fall."

http://i.imgur.com/j6Mjg8T.jpg

[Eryhn]

so does it lag less w/o all the bling on the status bar?

[Saekee]

so does it lag less w/o all the bling on the status bar?

hard to say--I have had little lag but have been solo, duo and low level harbor, so not a good test for it

[Saekee]

"Penniless
A while
Without food
I can live;
But it breaks my heart
To know
I cannot give."

http://i.imgur.com/MwrJDjd.jpg

[kanordog]

Great idea, I bet it's a lot of fun.

[Saekee]

Great idea, I bet it's a lot of fun.

hi & thx! Yes, it has made heroics like playing EE. I get one shot by champs with damage boosts on crit & many mobs feel like hp bags. I find myself
on par with geared new players. I can solo quests but it is nice to rely on others again.
Also, I find myself intensely attuned to game mechanics & active combat. No min level 3 bracers of wind--I need to do the monk finisher. No heal pots so halfling dragonmarks, EPL fast healing & monk finishers. I even use shrines in quest now. And every point of damage adds up. Crazy stuff!

[Saekee]

"Strange that the spring has come
On meadow and vale and hill,
For here in the sunless slum
My bosom is frozen still."

http://i.imgur.com/OQleptG.jpg

[Saekee]

Reflections and analysis
The screen shot shows my best self-buffing. Paladin light damage (1d4) and EK (1d6) have been very helpful. EK does not work when you have no weapon equipped so I needed to do a workaround by equipping disjuncted blank handwraps. Oh Well.

Getting one-shot by champions sometimes.

Maximized feat useful on first two tiers of dragonmark (does not work on the third, Heal) makes them heal really well. CLW hits for 25ish; CSW about 70ish!

SP is not a big issue since all my self
buffs use under 10 sp (magical training regen). Only Blur costs too much but I can use the monk finisher to have it.

Ki use requires expert use, from finishers to form switching.

Otherwise, all well so far. The big boost will come at level 12-13 in which I will get tier 5 Harper--that will let me use eschew & extend, and I will have enough wiz levels for vampire form (100% fortification).

I have adjusted the original build post here (https://www.ddo.com/forums/showthread.php/470047-Nude-Run-1-20-build-advice?p=5781201&viewfull=1#post5781201) to reflect how this could have been done a little better.

I am able to zerg Heroic Normal and often heroic hard. My only challenge has been champions and the occasional swarm of mobs, in particular ones with knockdown (like wolves). I get knocked down and then, stuck there, I cannot cleave or heal my way out. That is how I have typically died, other than a magic-using champ blitzing me with lightning bolts or something similar.

http://i.imgur.com/0g8yFoW.jpg

[Saekee]

". . .Up and up,
Up to the world of light
I go bounding;
Farewell, O earth, farewell,
What need I now of your freedom?"

http://i.imgur.com/qZTk0Df.jpg

[Saekee]

"The fault is mine;
I cannot pray
In this dark place.
But when I raise my eyes
The form of my
Own formless God
Is here,
And I
Can look unto His face."
("My Cross")

http://i.imgur.com/0BmJOeM.jpg

[Enderoc]

Question...why did you choose Paladin? There are numerous cleric spells that do not need ingredients.

[Saekee]

Question...why did you choose Paladin? There are numerous cleric spells that do not need ingredients.
That is a good question. Healing has not been an issue; just survivability when surrounded or knocked down. Paladin gave me some key boosts:



a boost to saving throws, which let me take Power attack over resilience
free cleave from its enhancements, giving me 2 (EK, pally)
light damage on hit (veeery nice for a low dps weaponless build)
full BAB for qualifying for ITWF. The wiz levels mess with the BAB
access to defensive stance for cheap PRR

[Enderoc]

So death Aura will be how you will be self healing? Does that defeat the purpose of the Dragonmark? And if you chose the light path in Monk, that also will not be able to be utilized as a form of self healing correct? I am assuming no pots, no wands, nothing in your pack. At least Cleric will give you infliction spells to heal in undead form. I understand you want to do damage...but survivability is a good way to make sure you deal it. You are relying on Dex, Wisdom, with feats and enhancements for Resistances and Damage mitigation and avoidance. That wont be enough unless you never have aggro, or are a capable self healer imo.

Its a tough call, you need the fort...to get the fort from an undead form you need to nullify all positive healing. That would be hard even for an equipped player. Naked and mostly melee classed Palemaster MC would feel like purgatory. Especially since Harper int to damage does nothing for unarmed.

[Saekee]

So death Aura will be how you will be self healing? Does that defeat the purpose of the Dragonmark? And if you chose the light path in Monk, that also will not be able to be utilized as a form of self healing correct? I am assuming no pots, no wands, nothing in your pack. At least Cleric will give you infliction spells to heal in undead form. I understand you want to do damage...but survivability is a good way to make sure you deal it. You are relying on Dex, Wisdom, with feats and enhancements for Resistances and Damage mitigation and avoidance. That wont be enough unless you never have aggro, or are a capable self healer imo.

Its a tough call, you need the fort...to get the fort from an undead form you need to nullify all positive healing. That would be hard even for an equipped player. Naked and mostly melee classed Palemaster MC would feel like purgatory. Especially since Harper int to damage does nothing for unarmed.

yes to all points, it will be tough. This is meant to be a challenge since I would otherwise sleepwalk heroics.

Fists of light gives the finisher align the heavens which has great synergy with wizard as it saves 25% on SP.

Had I done cleric levels instead of pally I would have poor dps & saves and missed qualifying for twf feats (so even worse dps). Cleric would make sense if I had flameblades (druid past life feat), elf & used it as the religion weapon. Then warpriest and all wisdom. I could do 6-7 wiz, 3 monk, rest cleric. My current split will give me a wizard past life which I want for the MM feat.

Harper will give me 15 mp & bonuses to hit and damage (weapon enhantment, righteousness & extra damage against evil) & I will swap out the halfling dragonmark for something else, maybe stunning fist (but it will have a poor DC). Free extend & eschew is also

I might do tier 5 PM from levels 12-15ish for vamp heal on hit.

The death aura will be the prime healing but my defenses will be solid--PRR plus displacement. Remember that AC bonuses in heroics from EPL stacking (passive) as well as other AC bonuses (monk wisdom & ofc dex, improved mage armor etc) also mitigate, plus evasion.

note: A week after this post my RL health collapsed & I have been too weak/sick to play (or do much of anything). Alas! I hope to heal soon since I was having much fun here.

[Saekee]

Back after break from illness! Level 10 elite Fathom the Depths

http://i.imgur.com/GOJm4h5.jpg

[janave]

This thread is 100% win,
and you are my favorite DDO player right now.

[Saekee]

This thread is 100% win,
and you are my favorite DDO player right now.
thanks Janave! I got sick some months ago (in RL; still recovering) and my main has not progressed much in her efforts, but I have not broken the vow. I intend to make it to 20 sans gear. Am level 12 now which is a little rough since AP is too tight to really do vampire form successfully; I will get Greater Death Aura at level 13 so just need to slog through level 12.

I really, really want to play my new Prowler build so I need to get this done.

[cdbd3rd]

thanks Janave! I got sick some months ago (in RL; still recovering) ....

Welcome back to the grinder. :)

[Saekee]

http://i.imgur.com/Lihf2v9.jpg

[Saekee]

http://i.imgur.com/pBquumi.jpg

[Saekee]

Kaenis (http://ddowiki.com/page/Kaenis_the_Beggar), undead beggar, buried in the tomb of Rahmat (http://ddowiki.com/page/Chamber_of_Rahmat), preserved in his eternal poverty, save for a fool's treasure nearby.


I stay my hand, briefly, lost in pity, before ending his eternal misery.

http://i.imgur.com/aFvWg2g.jpg

[Saekee]

http://i.imgur.com/KdkqxJB.jpg

[Saekee]

Today, I joined a party late for Haywire Foundry, dying three times (twice to traps) and once to a golem. I finished the quest in a backpack without a single kill on the kill list.

This captures the sense of the light at the end of the tunnel (stealing this title from Frogger1234 in the Where am I (https://www.ddo.com/forums/showthread.php/464707-Where-Am-I?p=5901389&viewfull=1#post5901389)thread). Someday, I will finish my sacred voyage.

http://i.imgur.com/aeGHXr8.jpg

[kanordog]

Were Your party equipped as You?
You are a lightweight fighter in a heavyweight match.

[Saekee]

Were Your party equipped as You?
You are a lightweight fighter in a heavyweight match.

you mean unequipped as me? Lightweight does not even begin to describe it! The party had trouble in there too due to traps etc. But no--I am the only nude runner on all servers AFAIK.

Dungeon scaling makes grouping hard on me unless I pike or ride the backpack (like in Haywire). Champs can be hell. My current level range is hard since my tier 5--Harper--is weak and eats up most of my AP. Undead healing is slow without gear and deprives me of Fast Healing EPL.

The biggest issue is lack of DPS. Colors of the Queen is obviously random. Base damage is low, effects are bought with AP if I have it (Pally light damage, EK damage if I can spare 6 AP there, Henshin MP). XP is slow too since no guild buffs & no Voice. (I chug daily dice stuff though the moment I get them). If I drop my BB streak the grind gets worse. I planned this build before the monk pass; now, I would have done level 12 with Tier 5 Henshin for SCEWL.

So i attempt a quest, log out, and then log in with other toons like my well-geared challenge farmer--who just wipes out everything.

[kanordog]

Can You not respec? If You have spare TP +5 lessers are on sale atm?
I also believe that healing touch (whatever called ligh-light-light finisher) got a boost, I tried it on a test iconic and it heals quite well.

[Saekee]

Can You not respec? If You have spare TP +5 lessers are on sale atm?
I also believe that healing touch (whatever called ligh-light-light finisher) got a boost, I tried it on a test iconic and it heals quite well.

I believe that gets affected by Devotion spell power. My spell powers are low due to no gear.

I made a vow to make it through sans gear! If I can't keep a vow in a video game, who am I? Thanks for the suggestion though.

[Saekee]

At some point, an RPG style-journey inevitably includes this screenshot

http://i.imgur.com/yQp6Fjt.jpg

[Saekee]

Level 16! Moving through this level quickly thanks to a helpful PUG that rezzed me in LoD, Servants and then Spinner lol!

http://i.imgur.com/lgx5lJl.jpg

[SpartanKiller13]

If, as your signature states, you are on Cannith (I couldn't find anything confirming or denying this) feel free to message me ingame or on the forums - Khysiria on Cannith - I'd love to run with you. I don't have the build or PLs to run like you are right now, but I would happily swap to handwraps or whatever for the lulz.

[Saekee]

If, as your signature states, you are on Cannith (I couldn't find anything confirming or denying this) feel free to message me ingame or on the forums - Khysiria on Cannith - I'd love to run with you. I don't have the build or PLs to run like you are right now, but I would happily swap to handwraps or whatever for the lulz.
Sure!What level are you though? Saekee is level 16 right now and feel free to add her. Often I log in and out for brief stints but if RL lets me for a longer run, I would happily run with you!

My Vow of Poverty character has no gear on whatsoever. The handwraps are blank disjuncted and there just to activate some equipped weapons bugs on enhancements and feats (like the Pally exalted swing thing does not do any damage if I do not have the wraps equipped).

[Saekee]

Here I am fully self-buffed in the Marketplace! Thanks to all those who carried me through the Necropolis quests and special thanks to the Zombie Train and Rat hill scavengers!

http://i.imgur.com/1cyjVLU.jpg

[Saekee]

Nekkid in Wheloon and elsewhere! Avoiding reapers though. The Vow is almost finished!

http://i.imgur.com/3tZulMi.jpg

[Saekee]

At the summit of the Storm Horns, I completed a Nature slayer and suddenly became level 20! Beautifully timed, one of those magic moments. Saekee looks out over the frigid air of the hills as she completes here Vow of Poverty!

http://i.imgur.com/Jtpsz03.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/2yfnrpY.jpg

[Saekee]

"Take Thou the Burden, Lord;
I am exhausted with this heavy load.
My tired hands tremble,
And I stumble, stumble
Along the way.
Oh, lead with Thine unfailing arms
Again today.

Unless Thou lead me, Lord,
The road I journey on is all too hard.
Through trust in Thee alone
Can I go on.

Yet not for self alone
Thus do I groan;
My people's sorrows are the load I bear.
Lord, hear my prayer--
May Thy strong hand
Strike off all chains
That load my well-loved land.
God, draw her close to Thee!"
-- Kagawa, "The Burden," Songs from the Slums, final passage

http://i.imgur.com/cyfcGpW.jpg

[kanordog]

Saekee looks out over the frigid air of the hills as she completes here Vow of Poverty!



Congratulations!

[Tscheuss]

Happy to see your completed journey. Good luck with your prowler. :)

[Saekee]

Congratulations!


Happy to see your completed journey. Good luck with your prowler. :)

thank you Kanordog & Tscheuss

[Saekee]

There was a long delay in this run due to RL illness and then my playing of alts at the launch of reaper.

Here are my general observations


The main danger was champions. Even on elite, the general mob was not a problem.
I had no major issues until level 12 (in which I constantly changed my enhancements). The biggest challenges (other than champs) came from DR (until I got tier 5 Harper righteousness) and Dispelling (Offering of Blood--didn't even bother). Other minor issues presented themselves, like getting tripped all the time (hobgoblins in Tangleroot and wolves were big offenders here...). I had to give up Threnal since the Render DR was a slog. Sometimes I would get surrounded by hordes of mobs and that was a problem.
Dungeon scaling was a huge problem in later levels as well as general difficulty. I was virtually carried through many quests and often found myself apologizing to the party. Eventually, I stopped grouping and finished the journey by doing slayers and repeating quests like Litany.
During this long run, the monk pass occurred; as a result, I added two monk levels to the original split. Then, reaper appeared; I had no chance in reaper due to lack of ghost touch as well as PM healing nerf.


I have no intention of ever doing this again. It was fun until level 11ish and then became a slog!


My finest moments were doing the Crucible swim at level on elite and Spies in the House at level on elite!

[Dravella]

First: I'm ecstatic you made it through to 20 while keeping the Vow! Many others would have given up after too long, but you held true to your goal.

Second: I loved how you told the story of your "Nude" adventure with the prose from Songs from the Slums. It was a wonderful atmosphere of story-telling, especially with the still-shots.

Third: Kudos to you for even attempting this. It's too bad you wouldn't do this again as part of a "Nude" static group. I'm sure others would give this a try if grouped with like-minded players. Just a thought.

I hope you've regained your health and have no more RL issues, so you can play and deal damage to those Champions who one-shot you. Revenge can be sweet!!!

[Saekee]

First: I'm ecstatic you made it through to 20 while keeping the Vow! Many others would have given up after too long, but you held true to your goal.

Second: I loved how you told the story of your "Nude" adventure with the prose from Songs from the Slums. It was a wonderful atmosphere of story-telling, especially with the still-shots.

Third: Kudos to you for even attempting this. It's too bad you wouldn't do this again as part of a "Nude" static group. I'm sure others would give this a try if grouped with like-minded players. Just a thought.

I hope you've regained your health and have no more RL issues, so you can play and deal damage to those Champions who one-shot you. Revenge can be sweet!!!

thank you for the kind thoughts Dravella