STR-based melee tempest

[painkiller3]

so I was thinking since STR is the default for melee damage (and one of the easiest things to get bonuses for) why not try a STR based tempest? My idea is to go Half-orc 12 ranger/5 cleric (with Strength domain to get Strength bonus to reflex so we can dump DEX altogether) but i'm not sure what to use for the third class. Barbarian? Fighter? Rogue? Any thoughts? Or is my idea just wacky?

[TitusOvid]

Sure it works, for heroic at least. It depends what your goal is. Do you want to do heroic elites or do you want to be big in epics, too? Do you want to run a medium or high reaper?

Try the character planer to get a feel for the toon. https://www.ddo.com/forums/showthread.php/455712-Character-Builder-Lite

But look into pally instead of cleric. If you take at least 2 lvl pally and don't dumb charisma you get good save boni, too and you can chose divine might to boost your STR even more. Just a thought.

And here you can look for help, too: https://www.ddo.com/forums/showthread.php/117232-Request-a-Build-Get-a-Build

Have fun!

[Fedora1]

Khopeshes, right?

Maybe rogue for trap xp and those optionals that require picking locks? Although there is the lock smashing enhancement for half orcs, not sure on the AP cost.

[painkiller3]

Sure it works, for heroic at least. It depends what your goal is. Do you want to do heroic elites or do you want to be big in epics, too? Do you want to run a medium or high reaper?

I want to be able to melee in heroic reaper (low-mid) to be honest. if it works in epic that would be awesome but this won't be a "final build" by any means.



But look into pally instead of cleric. If you take at least 2 lvl pally and don't dumb charisma you get good save boni, too and you can chose divine might to boost your STR even more. Just a thought.

that's a really good idea, and then I can keep max BAB too. the reason I was thinking cleric was that if I took 3 barbarian I would have lesser restoration after a rage, but if I go half-orc I get the 40 melee power rage for really cheap so I could use that instead. I use the character planner almost daily, but it's hard to take a test drive. hmmm, maybe I should go to Lamannia while it's up :)

[Selvera]

The old options for a strength tempest were essentially pure 20 ranger or 14 paladin/6 ranger. However, I believe both builds were geared towards epic levels (both have big power-boosts at or near level 20).

I haven't run either; I have run a dex-tempest and I was satisfied with it from a both a damage and a damage mitigation standpoint. Strength tempest is supposed to be a higher-damage lower-durability version of the dex tempest. Depending on your gear and pastlives, you might find that the defenses are not enough for low-reaper, or you might find that your defenses are enough and you'll welcome the extra damage.

For test driving a h-orc, you could use a level 7 first life character (vet 2), transfer all your bta gear you want to use and try running tear and gwylans on R1, or if you find that easy enough... you can always try ToEE or slavelords. If you can even complete ToEE or slavelords on R1, you will have no problem leveling to 20 with the build on your main; tempests scale well vs content, and their tier-5 abilities are very potent.

[unbongwah]

One of my old Tempest Warpriest combos was rgr 12 / cleric 5 / pal 3 (https://www.ddo.com/forums/showthread.php/431930-Adventures-in-Theorycrafting-Tempest-Warpriests?p=5454458&viewfull=1#post5454458); the pal splash was for Divine Grace and Sacred defensive stance. Presumably a similar combo with Strength domain would still work today, but APs are really tight. I would probably do something like 40 Tempest (tier-5s) / 24 DWS (cores + Killer) / 6 SD (+25 PRR) / 4 WP (Div Might) which leaves only 6 APs to tweak things; on a HO I guess put those APs into racial tree for another +2 STR or maybe for Lock Bash. Remember that if you want Precision or Dodge/Mobility combo, those still require base DEX 13, so plan accordingly.

[C-Dog]

If a Str-based Bard-Ranger (https://www.ddo.com/forums/showthread.php/454864-War-Dancer) works, then this should as well. Might(?) not be "optimal", but different is better to some.

GL!

[painkiller3]

thanks for all the ideas! i have the Legendary Heartwood for some repair amp

http://ddowiki.com/images/Legendary_Heartwood.jpg

and was thinking about maybe trying 12 ranger/5 cleric (STR domain)/3 paladin bladeforged. using a similar mix to what Unbongwah recommended, but will have to get to the planner.

[painkiller3]

here is my first crack at it (from work today). criticize please

Character Plan by DDO Character Planner Version 4.35.101
DDO Character Planner Home Page https://github.com/DDOCharPlanner/DDOCharPlannerV4/releases

Level 20 Lawful Good Bladeforged Male
(3 Paladin / 12 Ranger / 5 Cleric)
Hit Points: 416
Spell Points: 370

Strength 18
Dexterity 6
Constitution 18
Intelligence 14
Wisdom 6
Charisma 12

Tomes Used
+6 Tome of Strength used at level 4
+6 Tome of Dexterity used at level 4
+6 Tome of Constitution used at level 4
+6 Tome of Intelligence used at level 4
+6 Tome of Wisdom used at level 4
+6 Tome of Charisma used at level 4

Level 1 (Paladin)
Feat: (Deity) Follower of the Lord of Blades
Feat: (Past Life) Past Life: Barbarian
Feat: (Past Life) Past Life: Barbarian
Feat: (Past Life) Past Life: Barbarian
Feat: (Past Life) Past Life: Druid
Feat: (Past Life) Past Life: Fighter
Feat: (Past Life) Past Life: Fighter
Feat: (Past Life) Past Life: Monk
Feat: (Past Life) Past Life: Paladin
Feat: (Past Life) Past Life: Ranger
Feat: (Selected) Power Attack

Level 2 (Cleric)

Level 3 (Cleric)
Feat: (Selected) Exotic Weapon Proficiency: Khopesh

Level 4 (Cleric)

Level 5 (Cleric)

Level 6 (Cleric)
Feat: (Selected) Cleave

Level 7 (Ranger)
Feat: (Favored Enemy) Favored Enemy: Undead

Level 8 (Ranger)

Level 9 (Ranger)
Feat: (Selected) Great Cleave

Level 10 (Ranger)

Level 11 (Ranger)
Feat: (Favored Enemy) Favored Enemy: Dragon

Level 12 (Ranger)
Feat: (Selected) Improved Critical: Slashing Weapons

Level 13 (Ranger)

Level 14 (Ranger)

Level 15 (Ranger)
Feat: (Selected) Weapon Focus: Slashiing Weapons

Level 16 (Ranger)
Feat: (Favored Enemy) Favored Enemy: Elf

Level 17 (Ranger)

Level 18 (Ranger)
Feat: (Selected) Weapon Focus: Ranged Weapons

Level 19 (Paladin)

Level 20 (Paladin)
Enhancement: Bladeforged - Improved Fortification (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Bladeforged - Warforged Constitution (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Bladeforged - Construct Toughness (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Bladeforged - Communion of Scribing (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Bladeforged - Communion of Scribing (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Bladeforged - Communion of Scribing (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Tempest (Rgr) - Shield of Whirling Steel (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Tempest (Rgr) - Tempest (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Tempest (Rgr) - Graceful Death (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Tempest (Rgr) - Deflect Arrows (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Tempest (Rgr) - Improved Defense (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Tempest (Rgr) - Improved Defense (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Tempest (Rgr) - Whirling Blades (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Tempest (Rgr) - Improved Parry (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Tempest (Rgr) - Improved Parry (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Tempest (Rgr) - Whirling Blades (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Tempest (Rgr) - Storm Dancer (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Tempest (Rgr) - Critical Mastery (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Tempest (Rgr) - Critical Mastery (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Tempest (Rgr) - Whirling Blades (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Tempest (Rgr) - Storm Tempest (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Tempest (Rgr) - Elaborate Parry (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Tempest (Rgr) - Elaborate Parry (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Tempest (Rgr) - Elaborate Parry (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Tempest (Rgr) - The Growing Storm (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Tempest (Rgr) - The Growing Storm (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Tempest (Rgr) - The Growing Storm (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Tempest (Rgr) - Whirling Blades (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Tempest (Rgr) - Dual Perfection (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Tempest (Rgr) - Evasive Dance (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Tempest (Rgr) - Evasive Dance (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Tempest (Rgr) - Evasive Dance (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Tempest (Rgr) - Many Cuts (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Tempest (Rgr) - Many Cuts (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Tempest (Rgr) - Many Cuts (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Tempest (Rgr) - Whirling Blades (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Tempest (Rgr) - Dance of Death (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Tempest (Rgr) - Dance of Death (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Tempest (Rgr) - Dance of Death (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Sacred Defender (Pal) - Holy Bastion (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Sacred Defender (Pal) - Sacred Defense (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Sacred Defender (Pal) - Durable Defense (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Sacred Defender (Pal) - Durable Defense (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Sacred Defender (Pal) - Durable Defense (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Sacred Defender (Pal) - Sacred Armor Mastery (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Deepwood Stalker (Rgr) - Far Shot (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Deepwood Stalker (Rgr) - Sneak Attack (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Deepwood Stalker (Rgr) - Favored Protection (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Deepwood Stalker (Rgr) - Stealthy (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Deepwood Stalker (Rgr) - Stealthy (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Deepwood Stalker (Rgr) - Increased Empathy (Rank?* 1)
Enhancement: Deepwood Stalker (Rgr) - Increased Empathy (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Deepwood Stalker (Rgr) - Increased Empathy (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Deepwood Stalker (Rgr) - Versatile Empathy (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Deepwood Stalker (Rgr) - Survivalist I (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Deepwood Stalker (Rgr) - Empathic Healing (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Deepwood Stalker (Rgr) - Survivalist II (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Deepwood Stalker (Rgr) - Thrill of the Hunt (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Deepwood Stalker (Rgr) - Thrill of the Hunt (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Deepwood Stalker (Rgr) - Thrill of the Hunt (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Deepwood Stalker (Rgr) - Wisdom (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Deepwood Stalker (Rgr) - Killer (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Deepwood Stalker (Rgr) - Killer (Rank 2)