Returning player after ~2 years

[Olath_Senger]

So I moved out of country for a couple years and was incredibly busy every single day with what I was doing and had no time for anything, let alone games. But now I'm back and I want to start playing DDO again! I've got the game downloading now and I've got lots of questions.

First off, assuming I have no adventure packs or anything (I don't remember what I have, I think I have Vale and a couple others but that's it) which ones should I get?

Second, what are the big changes that I missed? (Last one I think was the enhancement pass)

Third, could a build over two years out of date be able to keep up at all in today's game? Or should I just level all my toonsup to 20 and TR?

Fourth, what is a good build now for someone who likes self-sufficiency?

That's it for now but I'll have more as people comment. Cheers everyone :D

[scipiojedi]

Welcome back! i have a bunch of toons on Thelanis - Jac - if you let me know what toons you want to run I can hop on a run some with you to get you back up to speed before you decide what builds you want to do.

[FranOhmsford]

So I moved out of country for a couple years and was incredibly busy every single day with what I was doing and had no time for anything, let alone games. But now I'm back and I want to start playing DDO again! I've got the game downloading now and I've got lots of questions.

First off, assuming I have no adventure packs or anything (I don't remember what I have, I think I have Vale and a couple others but that's it) which ones should I get?

In order of most important to least {Assuming you already have Vale of Twilight}:

1) Menace of the Underdark & Shadowfell Expansions {DDOMarket Website}

2) Orchard of the Macabre {Necro IV}

3) Gianthold

4) Vault of Night

5) 3 Barrel Cove

6) Sands of Menechtarun

7) Trial of the Archons

8) Everything else



Second, what are the big changes that I missed? (Last one I think was the enhancement pass)

Possibly Epic Gianthold & Epic 3 Barrel Cove

Level Cap going up to 30

Epic Orchard

Temple of Elemental Evil

Legendary Shroud, Hound and Tempests Spine {Legendary is Lvl 30+ Quests/Raids}

Warlock Class

Gnome and Svirfneblin Race/Iconic Race


Third, could a build over two years out of date be able to keep up at all in today's game? Or should I just level all my toonsup to 20 and TR?

You'll need to get new gear and maybe change your enhancements around {random loot is much stronger now and many of the enhancement trees have been updated}

But older builds can work in today's game just fine.

Of course you'll probably want to TR a few of them anyway but the game goes up to Lvl 30 now and it's easy to find Epic Normal Quest Groups to farm Epic XP.


Fourth, what is a good build now for someone who likes self-sufficiency?

Pure Enlightened Spirit Fey Warlock with secondary Enhancement Tree Tainted Scholar.

[Olath_Senger]

Welcome back! i have a bunch of toons on Thelanis - Jac - if you let me know what toons you want to run I can hop on a run some with you to get you back up to speed before you decide what builds you want to do.

Thank you! That would definitely be helpful. My biggest priority right now is to get my gimped level 14 to 20 and then TR him, but I've never done a TR or even capped a character so I have no idea how long it would take. So this would be very helpful!


-stuff-

Just checked to see how much TP costs. Dang it's expensive. Ah well, I'll get there slowly but surely ;). Thanks for the help though, I'll start collecting the adventure packs as soon as I can!

Also what is the Warlock class like? Is it basically just another caster or is it quite different?

[FranOhmsford]

Also what is the Warlock class like? Is it basically just another caster or is it quite different?

It's a Caster Class yes but nothing like Sorc or Wiz.

Warlock is a Caster Class that barely cares about SPs.

Enlightened Spirit Playstyle = Similar to Barbarian only with Magic rather than a Greataxe. Walk in Hit two buttons, everything's dead!

Warlocks do have a number of Spells but it's rare you'll even have to use them - Disco Ball is perhaps the most commonly used Spell followed by Evard's Black Tentacles which works similarly to Acid Rain+Web, Mass Hold and Mass Charm and of course Buffs like Jump, Displacement and Tenser's.

Warlocks have the same base hps as a wiz or sorc but have a massive temp hp potential - In Unyielding Sentinel my Lvl 30 pure Warlock has over 2k HPs while Tensered.

Warlocks have a non-spell pt using basic ranged magical attack, this can be changed to a Chain {like Chain Lightning}, a Cone or an Aura - Aura is by far the strongest after Lvl 12 but I find Chain to be best from 3-12 then swap to Aura afterwards.
I keep the Chain for use in specific situations later on and of course you can always switch back to the basic bolt for use against bosses because it has higher base damage than the Chain and means you don't have to stand up against the boss like the Aura.


Oh and Warlock Stats = Max Cha for DCs and Max Con - Int is nice for skill points but Str, Dex and Wis are completely unnecessary!
Skills I like are Spellcraft, Perform and Bluff {Concentration I'll take obviously but I don't think it's actually needed.} and UMD of course but Warlocks get huge bonuses to UMD as they level so there's no need to max it!

[Baktiotha]

Also what is the Warlock class like? Is it basically just another caster or is it quite different?

Warlock can be just another caster class. Warlock can be quite different. It is very flexible and allows for many different approaches.

I see most players using it to spam eldritch blasts -- no spell point ranged magic attacks. In that sense it plays like a wizard or sorcerer running around spamming fireballs, except the warlock never runs out of spell points.

I personally play warlocks like melee characters and use eldritch aura (basically reshapes the blast to an AOE centered on the character) and eldritch burst (an AOE on command attack) while I melee.

There are other options. I'd check the class forums.

Leveling 14 to 20 should go fast. Hit up a Vale group and you should get there fairly quickly. Gianthold groups are good too if you find one that isn't focused on epic GH. Assuming your character is first life XP requirement is as low as it can be. Get into a guild for buffs, including an XP buff, get Voice of the Master, if you have any Turbine Points invest in a 6 hour XP potion (50% or 30% bonus, don't bother with lesser ones). You should be able to get enough XP to hit L20 quickly that way.

Do not buy true hearts to reincarnate. Make sure you have the Devil's Assault quest and get a guild mate to help you out. Run that quest 3 or 4 times asking people to give you the tokens that drop. Trade the tokens for a true heart. It takes 20 tokens. They drop 1.5 per group member on average, about 9 per run with a full group. XP is decent enough an people are generally willing to help someone farming tokens.

The rest has been covered by others.

[Baktiotha]

Oh and Warlock Stats = Max Cha for DCs and Max Con - Int is nice for skill points but Str, Dex and Wis are completely unnecessary!

If you are not using DC based spells then there's no need for max charisma. Warlock spell power is intelligence based. It is generally better to view CHA, CON and INT as somewhat equal stats and to increase CHA or INT depending on how you play the class. In my opinion 16 in each stat with 2 build points remaining is probably a better distribution than 18 CHA, 14 INT with no build points remaining (assumes 32 point build). At 36 points you can bump either INT or CHA to 18 depending on your focus.

[scipiojedi]

Thank you! That would definitely be helpful. My biggest priority right now is to get my gimped level 14 to 20 and then TR him, but I've never done a TR or even capped a character so I have no idea how long it would take. So this would be very helpful!



Just checked to see how much TP costs. Dang it's expensive. Ah well, I'll get there slowly but surely ;). Thanks for the help though, I'll start collecting the adventure packs as soon as I can!

Also what is the Warlock class like? Is it basically just another caster or is it quite different?

I have at least one around that level I haven't been on thelanis for awhile but it's pretty easy to get from 14-20 and I TR a lot - will show you the tricks.

[Olath_Senger]

Another question! So I just logged in and found out that my Drow 9 Pal/3Rgr/2 Monk has a lesser reincarnation to use. I believe I was going to make him a 15/3/2. He currently has GTWF, Toughness, Dodge, Power Attack and Weapon Finesse for chosen feats (I think those are it?). Base stats are 12/19/14/10/14/12. Skill points have gone into Concentration, Heal and UMD it looks like. Any suggestions for changes?

[slarden]

If you are not using DC based spells then there's no need for max charisma. Warlock spell power is intelligence based. It is generally better to view CHA, CON and INT as somewhat equal stats and to increase CHA or INT depending on how you play the class. In my opinion 16 in each stat with 2 build points remaining is probably a better distribution than 18 CHA, 14 INT with no build points remaining (assumes 32 point build). At 36 points you can bump either INT or CHA to 18 depending on your focus.

50% pact damage is worth more than a few points of spell craft esp with the extra ts dice. it really does pay to max charisma, but if you can't get to a decent dc max con. With fey you will want evocation augmentation twisted in on top of 3 dc from magister. With goo I am twisting in + 3dc from magister and am no fail on pact damage.

i prefer max cha, secondary int and con. As a drow that is 20 cha 16 int 14 con I believe. 18/16/16 on a human.

also fey uses perform which is cha based.

[slarden]

Another question! So I just logged in and found out that my Drow 9 Pal/3Rgr/2 Monk has a lesser reincarnation to use. I believe I was going to make him a 15/3/2. He currently has GTWF, Toughness, Dodge, Power Attack and Weapon Finesse for chosen feats (I think those are it?). Base stats are 12/19/14/10 (tel:12/19/14/10)/14/12. Skill points have gone into Concentration, Heal and UMD it looks like. Any suggestions for changes?
I would save all your free hearts until you are at cap or for another life. Basically get some play time in first before deciding how to use it.

[FranOhmsford]

If you are not using DC based spells then there's no need for max charisma. Warlock spell power is intelligence based. It is generally better to view CHA, CON and INT as somewhat equal stats and to increase CHA or INT depending on how you play the class. In my opinion 16 in each stat with 2 build points remaining is probably a better distribution than 18 CHA, 14 INT with no build points remaining (assumes 32 point build). At 36 points you can bump either INT or CHA to 18 depending on your focus.

Warlock Spell Power is NOT Int Based!

I've tried Int Based Warlock Rogues and they SUCK!

Fey Warlocks use Perform for Resonance and that uses Charisma!

And Disco Ball, Evards, Mass Hold and Mass Charm are ALL DC Spells!

MAX CHA!

[Olath_Senger]

I have at least one around that level I haven't been on thelanis for awhile but it's pretty easy to get from 14-20 and I TR a lot - will show you the tricks.
Tricks would be great! If you're ever on Thelanis and you see me on shoot me a message! Mkre likely than not I'll be on Vailun and I'll be running through the Vale.


I would save all your free hearts until you are at cap or for another life. Basically get some play time in first before deciding how to use it.
The heart has already been eaten (must've done it a long time ago) so I'm going to need to reincarnate anyways.

[Baktiotha]

50% pact damage is worth more than a few points of spell craft esp with the extra ts dice. it really does pay to max charisma, but if you can't get to a decent dc max con. With fey you will want evocation augmentation twisted in on top of 3 dc from magister. With goo I am twisting in + 3dc from magister and am no fail on pact damage.

i prefer max cha, secondary int and con. As a drow that is 20 cha 16 int 14 con I believe. 18/16/16 on a human.

also fey uses perform which is cha based.

This thread is not the place to debate warlock. I'm only pointing out that the decision should be driven by play style and that players should not just follow forum advice without taking how they (the player) plans to play the character.

There are all sorts of considerations including past lives and gear that probably do not apply to a returning player who clearly states he hasn't TR'd at all. If it is probable that pact damage (and eldritch blast/burst) will be saved against then pushing form more DC in the first life might not matter. OTOH, on a multi-lived character it might be that the DC is high enough without pushing for it. So the decision is very much situational and character/player/play style dependent.

It would be an interesting discussion to have in the warlock forums. For this thread it is sufficient to note that INT and CHA are key stats and the player should carefully evaluate how each affects the build.

You can only get 20/16/14 or 18/16/16 (drow/human) if you have 36 point builds. That is a third life character or later. Again, does not apply to the OP who is on all first life characters.

[Rykka]

Tricks would be great! If you're ever on Thelanis and you see me on shoot me a message! Mkre likely than not I'll be on Vailun and I'll be running through the Vale.


The heart has already been eaten (must've done it a long time ago) so I'm going to need to reincarnate anyways.

If you're at 9P/3Rgr/2Mo still there are plenty of decent options, 14+pal gives you the revamped Holy Sword spell. 3 Rgr lets you use Scimies/Bows/Shirikun with Dex to hit and damage. 4 Rgr AA gives Paralyzing Arrows that are much stronger and you can do a lot more damage with Elemental Imbues.

A lot has changed though. Ranger got a lot more power in the T4+ and Lvl12+ cores. On all Trees.

Pally got better at around Lvl14 because of Holy Sword changes. Some enhencement boosts in T5 are nice.

Monk hasn't gotten it's pass yet,

The biggest change IMO for a monk splash character is that Armor doesn't suck anymore. So you'll want to compare wearing lightarmor to pajamas or just say to heck with it and just wear plate.

It'll depend on your build and gear.

[Baktiotha]

Warlock Spell Power is NOT Int Based!

Spell power is affected by various things but primarily by Spellcraft which is an INT based skill. The other skills that affect spell power are Heal, Repair, and Perform.

Perform is affected by CHA and useful for sonic spells. Heal is affected by WIS and useful for positive/negative spells. Repair is affected by INT and affects rust/repair spells. Spellcraft is INT and affects Acid, Cold, Electric, Fire, Force and Light.

Eldritch Blast is force damage. The three pact damages are sonic, fire, and acid. The most common approach is to employ Utterdark blast for evil damage (alignment damage is improved by light spellpower).

The blast damage is the biggest part of the damage that a warlock does and 2 of the 3 pact damages are also affected by spellcraft. The meaning is clear, I think, that spell power is INT based.

Even running with fey pact players are well advised to boost INT for the effect it has on force/light spell power as this is the major portion of damage in any eldritch blast/aura/burst.

But, again, this isn't really the place to discuss this. I'd be happy to go over why this is so if you want to move it to the warlock forum. Any more discussion than this, unless prompted by the OP, really risks pulling this thread off topic.

[FranOhmsford]

Spell power is affected by various things but primarily by Spellcraft which is an INT based skill. The other skills that affect spell power are Heal, Repair, and Perform.

Perform is affected by CHA and useful for sonic spells. Heal is affected by WIS and useful for positive/negative spells. Repair is affected by INT and affects rust/repair spells. Spellcraft is INT and affects Acid, Cold, Electric, Fire, Force and Light.

Eldritch Blast is force damage. The three pact damages are sonic, fire, and acid. The most common approach is to employ Utterdark blast for evil damage (alignment damage is improved by light spellpower).

The blast damage is the biggest part of the damage that a warlock does and 2 of the 3 pact damages are also affected by spellcraft. The meaning is clear, I think, that spell power is INT based.

Even running with fey pact players are well advised to boost INT for the effect it has on force/light spell power as this is the major portion of damage in any eldritch blast/aura/burst.

But, again, this isn't really the place to discuss this. I'd be happy to go over why this is so if you want to move it to the warlock forum. Any more discussion than this, unless prompted by the OP, really risks pulling this thread off topic.

This is not off topic because the OP specifically asked about Warlocks!

Once again - Fey Resonance Spellpower is based off Perform and Charisma!
Warlock DCs for Disco Ball, Mass Hold, Mass Charm and Evards are based off Charisma!

Maxing Int and dumping Cha is the worst possible idea for a Warlock!

So no matter what your Int is not going to be super high - The difference between 14 base Int and 16 base Int is 1 SPwr!
Go ahead and add 4 level ups to Int and you're only getting another 2 Spwr that you're taking away from Charisma SPwr AND DCs!

I did not say to dump Int - I said that Int was 3rd after Cha and Con - 20 Cha, 14 Int, 14 Con is easily doable on a Drow! On a 3rd Life you may even be able to get 16 Int, 14 Con.
I pretty much never go above 14 Con outside of Barbarians or Fighters!
I also don't go BELOW 14 Con on anything but if you know how to get away with it 12 con is doable on a 1st Life Character!
Let's face it though a minimum of 12 and preferably 14 Con is MANDATORY in DDO!
So Max Cha, Get Con to 14 then put Int to as high as you can - Dex, Str and Wis are unnecessary but if you do have points left over getting Str to 10 will help with carrying capacity.

For me Drow is outright #1 for Fey Auralock!

[Baktiotha]

OP did not ask for a debate on how to build warlock.

[unbongwah]

So I moved out of country for a couple years and was incredibly busy every single day with what I was doing and had no time for anything, let alone games. But now I'm back and I want to start playing DDO again!
Welcome back, OP - both to DDO and your country of origin wherever that is. :)

I wrote a brief-ish summary of major DDO changes here (https://www.ddo.com/forums/showthread.php/475399-Returning-player-yada-yada-yada?p=5825633&viewfull=1#post5825633) just after U31 came out.

A couple of useful threads which should address most of your questions:
https://www.ddo.com/forums/showthread.php/470423-Build-Repository
https://www.ddo.com/forums/showthread.php/424669-Adventure-Pack-Reviews-and-Buyer-s-Guide <-hasn't been updated in a while, but covers everything up thru U27, I think

And feel free to stop by the Request a Build thread (https://www.ddo.com/forums/showthread.php/117232-Request-a-Build-Get-a-Build) if you need help with a specific toon.