THinking of starting my Helf life, what are the best builts for a helf nowadays?

[NemesisAlien]

Already did my tetris, took me over 6hrs >_<", cache cleared, wood used, awaiting 20th, just need to click the reincarnate button.

Got +7stats, no completionist, no sharn, what should I go for?

[Kaboom2112]

Inquisitive. Turn off your brain and fire crossbows.

[AlmGhandi]

My no-brainer is a caster druid. Never really had any problems with that... Are you planning on farming reaper xp, or just going for the PL?
Sad but true.... because I want to be an artificer. Leaping from tree to tree as they float down the rivers of....

But then a guildy went up to cap (L28) using mostly Korthos gear....

[Emerge2012]

Sorc with the Warlock Dilettante since it gives your spells an extra 1d4 fire per character level that scales with spellpower and can crit. Has a cooldown of 2 seconds but adds quite a bit of single target damage and works great early on spamming the unmeta'd fire bolt spell.

Technically you can take the lock dilly for any caster but definitely has the best synergy with sorc.

[droid327]

Inquisitive. Turn off your brain and fire crossbows.

No Sharn so not an option.....




I'd say go for the other new shiny, PM. You didnt mention no RL so I assume you have VKF.

A +7 tome will help immensely because it means you can go TWF VKF, you can make DEX for feats while keeping your INT and CON up and enough STR to carry your junk. 18 Wiz/2 Rogue, gets you Evasion and trapping.

[Lonnbeimnech]

Sorc with the Warlock Dilettante since it gives your spells an extra 1d4 fire per character level that scales with spellpower and can crit. Has a cooldown of 2 seconds but adds quite a bit of single target damage and works great early on spamming the unmeta'd fire bolt spell.

Technically you can take the lock dilly for any caster but definitely has the best synergy with sorc.

this

[NemesisAlien]

No Sharn so not an option.....




I'd say go for the other new shiny, PM. You didnt mention no RL so I assume you have VKF.

A +7 tome will help immensely because it means you can go TWF VKF, you can make DEX for feats while keeping your INT and CON up and enough STR to carry your junk. 18 Wiz/2 Rogue, gets you Evasion and trapping.

Tier 5 pm? Tier 4 ek? Tier 1 mechanic? (Doing this in hardcore but drow) Left over +2 radical to whatever Dilettante?

Or Tier 5pm, the rest go to aa? Left over +2 radical to whatever Dilettante?

Edit, just noticed I missed out VKF, so Tier 5 pm? Tier 4 vkf? Left over to ek?

[NemesisAlien]

Btw alchemist coming out soon right? Now is fall, update 44 is coming out in fall.

But then again if I wait, I miss out on level 10.

[NemesisAlien]

My no-brainer is a caster druid. Never really had any problems with that... Are you planning on farming reaper xp, or just going for the PL?
Sad but true.... because I want to be an artificer. Leaping from tree to tree as they float down the rivers of....

But then a guildy went up to cap (L28) using mostly Korthos gear....

Got 1 guy already 20ish and still in snowy korthos :D

I will do some reaper, only got 1 or 2 ap in it, need to get more.

But then again I spending most of my time in hardcore.

[NemesisAlien]

Sorc with the Warlock Dilettante since it gives your spells an extra 1d4 fire per character level that scales with spellpower and can crit. Has a cooldown of 2 seconds but adds quite a bit of single target damage and works great early on spamming the unmeta'd fire bolt spell.

Technically you can take the lock dilly for any caster but definitely has the best synergy with sorc.

Havent played sorc yet, people tell me air is the best? :confused:

[HungarianRhapsody]

If you have the gear for it, I like helf Druid wold because helf gives you all weapon proficiencies until you swap it for healing amp when you take your first barbarian level. It’s a nice quality of life feature that makes leveling much more pleasant.

[Bacab]

In my experience...

On any fleshy, Cleric of Favored Soul is an easy button. Bard is a strong class as well in my opinion. Can be a caster or melee.

What do you prefer? Melee or casting?

[GramercyRiff]

Havent played sorc yet, people tell me air is the best? :confused:

Air lacks great low level spells. Once you get Ball and Chain Lightning, I prefer Air. The dash too.

[droid327]

Tier 5 pm? Tier 4 ek? Tier 1 mechanic? (Doing this in hardcore but drow) Left over +2 radical to whatever Dilettante?

Or Tier 5pm, the rest go to aa? Left over +2 radical to whatever Dilettante?

Probably T5 pm, T4 vkf, at least 6 in ek. You're a melee dagger twf wiz. No AA no mech.

Yeah any racial ap to whatever. Race is an afterthought to most builds.

[rabidfox]

2 rogue / 1 fighter / 17 FvS as a (H)elf-AA build is fun; not god-like powerful but fun and really well rounded jack-of-all-trades.

[NemesisAlien]

In my experience...

On any fleshy, Cleric of Favored Soul is an easy button. Bard is a strong class as well in my opinion. Can be a caster or melee.

What do you prefer? Melee or casting?

Cleric I'll save it for sun elf, already did 1, Fvs or bard... Shouldnt I use the tailless koblod?

No preference, but getting sick of monk, too many clickies, already did 2, saving the last for when I get falcon.

If caster, need to learn how to manage sp though, also which spell toggle to get.

[Bacab]

Cleric I'll save it for sun elf, already did 1, Fvs or bard... Shouldnt I use the tailless koblod?

No preference, but getting sick of monk, too many clickies, already did 2, saving the last for when I get falcon.

If caster, need to learn how to manage sp though, also which spell toggle to get.

Can do spell singer and spam SLAs and Charm Spells and invisible when solo. It can zerg really well.

Or Warchanter/Swashbuckler is a really good melee. Just keep blur and displacement going and use the Warchanter crowd control abilities on champions and reapers.

Can spam SLAs and heals and crowd control when in group.

Cleric or FVS are both monsters if you go SLAs or melee route.

[Xgya]

Already did my tetris, took me over 6hrs >_<", cache cleared, wood used, awaiting 20th, just need to click the reincarnate button.

Got +7stats, no completionist, no sharn, what should I go for?

I had a ton of fun with a Wizard EK using a repeater.
The Artificer Dilettante gives free proficiency with repeaters, which makes early heroics MUCH easier than usual for a Wizard, while undead EK stuff grants you sustained DPS and resilience so you can last long enough to show what you're made of.
No multiclass necessary (though you could go Rogue 2 for evasion and trapping if you're so inclined, I did not).

[Cantor]

Btw alchemist coming out soon right? Now is fall, update 44 is coming out in fall.

But then again if I wait, I miss out on level 10.

Doesn't matter for a TR, vet only affects new characters.

Looking at all the responses people really play different subgames of DDO. Some of the suggestions are unplayably weak for how my group runs. Some are just preference. If you are running heroic elite (maybe hard in newest content) and epic hard, anything will get you there. If you are running reapers without past lives, you have to be more selective. If you are trying to complete quests fast you have to be more selective. If you want to do a slow dungeon crawl on lower difficulty, literally any build can do it with a hireling.

[NemesisAlien]

I had a ton of fun with a Wizard EK using a repeater.
The Artificer Dilettante gives free proficiency with repeaters, which makes early heroics MUCH easier than usual for a Wizard, while undead EK stuff grants you sustained DPS and resilience so you can last long enough to show what you're made of.
No multiclass necessary (though you could go Rogue 2 for evasion and trapping if you're so inclined, I did not).

Does it give free bolts?

[NemesisAlien]

Probably T5 pm, T4 vkf, at least 6 in ek. You're a melee dagger twf wiz. No AA no mech.

Yeah any racial ap to whatever. Race is an afterthought to most builds.

In that case I might as well not use helf, gnome or drow would be better.

[Cantor]

Does it give free bolts?

you can scroll them, or 2 ap in inquisitive.

[droid327]

In that case I might as well not use helf, gnome or drow would be better.

If you aren't looking for a helf racial pl then yeah this is generally true for any build. Helf doesn't offer anything especially useful to build around.

[NemesisAlien]

you can scroll them, or 2 ap in inquisitive.

No sharn.

[C-Dog]

The big attraction of a Fire Sorc is w/ Tiefling, where Fire Spellpower has great synergy w/ the Racial enhancements. Same can be said, if to a lesser degree, w/ +d4 Fire from Dilettante (understanding that +d4 at level 1 is VERY diff from +d4 in mid/high heroics!).


Air lacks great low level spells. Once you get Ball and Chain Lightning, I prefer Air. The dash too.
Both Flaming Hands (AoE) and Shocking Grasp (Touch, single target) do the same damage, d6+1/. BH is the clear winner, both re AoE and a (very) short range of effect. The diff is that BH gets a (Reflex) ST for half, and SG doesn't - which can add up, depending on the target.

But the big diff between Fire and Air, imo, is seen at Level 4, when Electric Loop is available, w/ a built-in CC effect. (Fire gets a single-target Bolt spell - bleh.) And meanwhile, Fire spells are burning away the Sorcerer's go-to CC, Web - and now the AoE of Burning Hands is a liability re that.

"BUT!...", I hear some cry, "...Shocking Grasp is Touch range - that's a FAIL!" Agreed, 100%. So...

From Level 1-5 or so, you have so few spells that Quicken is a waste imo - you fire through your rotation, and then got nuthin' except a scepter to wave at your enemies. Take Enarge instead, and Shocking Grasp (both the SLA and the Spell) becomes short-ranged and really nice (and kinda OP for Level 1-3). Once Electric Loop (SLA and spell) is added (@ Lvl 4 or 5), you can stun at long range, before they even see you. Money.

Plus, very little is resistant/immune to electricity in low levels - not true for fire.

Swap Enlarge back out for Quicken whenever you find you have more spells than your rotation can hold (sometime around Level 10-14?).


Bottom line, they can both work, and work well, if in slightly diff ways. It's largely a matter of playstyle, and/or the gear you have handy.

[Cantor]

The big attraction of a Fire Sorc is w/ Tiefling, where Fire Spellpower has great synergy w/ the Racial enhancements. Same can be said, if to a lesser degree, w/ +d4 Fire from Dilettante (understanding that +d4 at level 1 is VERY diff from +d4 in mid/high heroics!).


Both Flaming Hands (AoE) and Shocking Grasp (Touch, single target) do the same damage, d6+1/. BH is the clear winner, both re AoE and a (very) short range of effect. The diff is that BH gets a (Reflex) ST for half, and SG doesn't - which can add up, depending on the target.

But the big diff between Fire and Air, imo, is seen at Level 4, when Electric Loop is available, w/ a built-in CC effect. (Fire gets a single-target Bolt spell - bleh.) And meanwhile, Fire spells are burning away the Sorcerer's go-to CC, Web - and now the AoE of Burning Hands is a liability re that.

"BUT!...", I hear some cry, "...Shocking Grasp is Touch range - that's a FAIL!" Agreed, 100%. So...

From Level 1-5 or so, you have so few spells that Quicken is a waste imo - you fire through your rotation, and then got nuthin' except a scepter to wave at your enemies. Take Enarge instead, and Shocking Grasp (both the SLA and the Spell) becomes short-ranged and really nice (and kinda OP for Level 1-3). Once Electric Loop (SLA and spell) is added (@ Lvl 4 or 5), you can stun at long range, before they even see you. Money.

Plus, very little is resistant/immune to electricity in low levels - not true for fire.

Swap Enlarge back out for Quicken whenever you find you have more spells than your rotation can hold (sometime around Level 10-14?).


Bottom line, they can both work, and work well, if in slightly diff ways. It's largely a matter of playstyle, and/or the gear you have handy.

Funny you rate loop so high, scorch is amazing in those levels. I like loop as my back up... but scorch is crazy. (scorch, not scorching ray)

A big advantage of the tielfling fire sorc is the AOE immunity removal.

IMO air is only ahead from 10-13. 14 gives DBF, and at 18 meteor is so good, air is left way behind.

[C-Dog]

Funny you rate loop so high, scorch is amazing in those levels. I like loop as my back up... but scorch is crazy. (scorch, not scorching ray)
Scorch has an unusual AoE that can be very hard to take advantage of, depending on the situation. In halls, money - but out in the open... hit and miss (literally and figuratively). EL is effectively an auto-targeting AoE, much like a 'Locks chain shape, which can even reach around corners. Better for my money most any day.

But, as I said, they're both viable, all depends on playstyle etc.

[Xgya]

Does it give free bolts?

Artificer Dilettante means you count as a first level Artificer for scroll usage, which just so happens to mean you always have 100% chance to use them.

Getting from level 1 to 20 didn't take much more than 100 scrolls, and probably less, but I didn't count and refilled once I hit less than 50.

[ValariusK]

Warlock dilly makes the half elf a pretty respectable sorceror or fvs. The extra firebolt damage remains pretty signficant all throughout heroics.

[NemesisAlien]

Artificer Dilettante means you count as a first level Artificer for scroll usage, which just so happens to mean you always have 100% chance to use them.

Getting from level 1 to 20 didn't take much more than 100 scrolls, and probably less, but I didn't count and refilled once I hit less than 50.

Oh is it? Ok then that is a good option, question now is what built, I dont have sharn, or falcon....

[Shadow_Jumper]

Ratcatcher + 41 AP into inquisitive. Splash 6 ranger if you want to grab more dps

[NemesisAlien]

Ratcatcher + 41 AP into inquisitive. Splash 6 ranger if you want to grab more dps

No sharn. :(

[Shadow_Jumper]

No sharn. :(

Sad to hear :C

However never fear! Let Sorc solve your issue!

Slightly more gear intensive, not nearly as point and shoot, but still superbly OP!

[NemesisAlien]

Sad to hear :C

However never fear! Let Sorc solve your issue!

Slightly more gear intensive, not nearly as point and shoot, but still superbly OP!

I thought we established sorc best save for thiefling? :confused:

[Xgya]

Oh is it? Ok then that is a good option, question now is what built, I dont have sharn, or falcon....

I ended up with 12 AP in Harper, 41 in EK, 27 in PM.

Early levels, early points in Harper. The ranged option is pretty feat-intensive. I didn't take Precise Shot or Precision until much later and didn't really notice. You get nice, free single target damage with crossbow bolts, and when the going gets tough, you have spells to back up on.

Extend is a VERY nice QoL feat to take, it buffs Death Auras, Displacement and the occasional Tenser's Transformation.
In the end, I started using Knight's Transformation despite the spell range nerf because of the full BaB and the attack speed bonus it gave.
I just had to remember to use the occasional quickened AoE only when mobs got too close for comfort. (it gets a lot better at level 17, because both Acid Well and Meteor Swarm aren't affected by the range nerf. As far as I've tested, Acid Well simply doesn't check for range. Ever. If you can shoot an arrow at it, Acid Well can reach it. I stopped using Tenser's entirely and relied on Knight's once I got those two)

I went Lich form, but I see some good in going for Wraith. Used a lowbie Vorpal repeater for most of my career - as an EK, the weapon used doesn't matter, only that it's a repeater. I tried switching, but given 80% of my damage was Spellsword procs, changing weapons made little to no difference.

As for equipment, I used the lowbie elemental spell power ring from the Phiarlan chain at first, and switched to Pansophic at level 13. I did have access to some Sharn gear, but no set in there was made with EK in mind, so I ended up using the Artificer medium armor suit. You could keep the Ravenloft caster suit on and not see much of a difference - though that set did make me a lot more resilient than wearing cloth armor.

[Shadow_Jumper]

I thought we established sorc best save for thiefling? :confused:

Sorc OPness is not race dependent.

Horc sorc is amazing (thing of the headbash DC!)

[NemesisAlien]

I ended up with 12 AP in Harper, 41 in EK, 27 in PM.

Early levels, early points in Harper. The ranged option is pretty feat-intensive. I didn't take Precise Shot or Precision until much later and didn't really notice. You get nice, free single target damage with crossbow bolts, and when the going gets tough, you have spells to back up on.

Extend is a VERY nice QoL feat to take, it buffs Death Auras, Displacement and the occasional Tenser's Transformation.
In the end, I started using Knight's Transformation despite the spell range nerf because of the full BaB and the attack speed bonus it gave.
I just had to remember to use the occasional quickened AoE only when mobs got too close for comfort. (it gets a lot better at level 17, because both Acid Well and Meteor Swarm aren't affected by the range nerf. As far as I've tested, Acid Well simply doesn't check for range. Ever. If you can shoot an arrow at it, Acid Well can reach it. I stopped using Tenser's entirely and relied on Knight's once I got those two)

I went Lich form, but I see some good in going for Wraith. Used a lowbie Vorpal repeater for most of my career - as an EK, the weapon used doesn't matter, only that it's a repeater. I tried switching, but given 80% of my damage was Spellsword procs, changing weapons made little to no difference.

As for equipment, I used the lowbie elemental spell power ring from the Phiarlan chain at first, and switched to Pansophic at level 13. I did have access to some Sharn gear, but no set in there was made with EK in mind, so I ended up using the Artificer medium armor suit. You could keep the Ravenloft caster suit on and not see much of a difference - though that set did make me a lot more resilient than wearing cloth armor.

I was thinking of going vampire repeater, constant heals and later on add on energy drain at 6, then add incorp at 9, question is ek first or pm first, then besides the 1st 2 points into dilly, how much to invest into radical tree, Diplomatic Immunity seems worth getting,

Activate: Reduce physical damage you take by 25% for 60 seconds or until you attack. Until you rest you have -2 Diplomacy (stacks up to 100 times). On a shared cooldown with Half-Elven Social Graces, and your total Diplomacy score must be positive to use this ability. (Cooldown: 2 minutes).
Dont understand this part though Until you rest you have -2 Diplomacy (stacks up to 100 times)., also dont understand what the helf diplo, imdt, bluff is meant for also.

Assuming 1st 2 points in dilly(4-2), have to wait for level 4 for int hit and damage(2+4+4+2), by level 6 get shroud(2+4), will have skele by then but its pretty weak at that point, so invest up the tree or go straight to ek? I'll definitely invest 1 point in archmage for the 2 sp magic missile (You'll never know when you'll need it and you'll never run out of sp to spam it.) Assuming so, i'll be left with 3 ap at level 7, which direction to go...

[NemesisAlien]

Sorc OPness is not race dependent.

Horc sorc is amazing (thing of the headbash DC!)

But horc max cha is only 16. :confused:

[Tilomere]

Soundburst Sorc (https://www.ddo.com/forums/showthread.php/505056-Sorc-spells-heroics-only?p=6205062&viewfull=1#post6205062). :)

[NemesisAlien]

Soundburst Sorc (https://www.ddo.com/forums/showthread.php/505056-Sorc-spells-heroics-only?p=6205062&viewfull=1#post6205062). :)

No falcon.... Yet....

[Xgya]

I was thinking of going vampire repeater, constant heals and later on add on energy drain at 6, then add incorp at 9, question is ek first or pm first, then besides the 1st 2 points into dilly, how much to invest into radical tree, Diplomatic Immunity seems worth getting,

Dont understand this part though Until you rest you have -2 Diplomacy (stacks up to 100 times)., also dont understand what the helf diplo, imdt, bluff is meant for also.

Assuming 1st 2 points in dilly(4-2), have to wait for level 4 for int hit and damage(2+4+4+2), by level 6 get shroud(2+4), will have skele by then but its pretty weak at that point, so invest up the tree or go straight to ek? I'll definitely invest 1 point in archmage for the 2 sp magic missile (You'll never know when you'll need it and you'll never run out of sp to spam it.) Assuming so, i'll be left with 3 ap at level 7, which direction to go...

You don't need any racial points. You can go there if you want, but all my racial lives gave me in the end was some spell pen and stats.
The dilly is a feat, and you get all the benefits you'd want from the feat. Spending points to make that dilly better only increases your effective artificer level, which is relatively useless.
12 points in Harper first. Those are IMPORTANT. That's level 3 going on 4.
By level 5, you get Spellsword. (6 AP) If you go into Reapers, it's also a very good source of Ghost Touch weaponry.
By the end of level 6, you're undead. (another 6 AP, total 24) (I don't know if the healing from vampire works ranged. The neg levels/damage does, for sure, but the healing specifies melee and I didn't try further).
Level 7 is also the level at which undead healing becomes a viable option (Death Aura and Negative Burst come online).

Get higher up EK by now, make sure you have 20 points by level 12, the damage buff from going from d6s to d8s is larger than it seems at first.
Get to 14 points in PM along the way, to get that glorious first undead upgrade, and +30 neg Hamp.

Beyond level 7, everything is pretty much up to you, the above are just my own guidelines.

[NemesisAlien]

You don't need any racial points. You can go there if you want, but all my racial lives gave me in the end was some spell pen and stats.
The dilly is a feat, and you get all the benefits you'd want from the feat. Spending points to make that dilly better only increases your effective artificer level, which is relatively useless.
12 points in Harper first. Those are IMPORTANT. That's level 3 going on 4.
By level 5, you get Spellsword. (6 AP) If you go into Reapers, it's also a very good source of Ghost Touch weaponry.
By the end of level 6, you're undead. (another 6 AP, total 24) (I don't know if the healing from vampire works ranged. The neg levels/damage does, for sure, but the healing specifies melee and I didn't try further).
Level 7 is also the level at which undead healing becomes a viable option (Death Aura and Negative Burst come online).

Get higher up EK by now, make sure you have 20 points by level 12, the damage buff from going from d6s to d8s is larger than it seems at first.
Get to 14 points in PM along the way, to get that glorious first undead upgrade, and +30 neg Hamp.

Beyond level 7, everything is pretty much up to you, the above are just my own guidelines.

I thought you need to take tier 1 dilly to get repeater and lev 1 scrolls? (For bolts) :confused:

Btw I got 2 rad ap, forgot to mention it.

I'll try vampire, if it dosent work I'll swap out for wraith.

Also should I spend a feat in specialise necromancy?

Which meta works with death auras? And spell sword for the matter.

If I not wrong I should be getting feats in this order:

Roll up: pointblank shot

augmented summoning
extend
insightful reflex
maximise
empower
Mental toughness

Pity no room for dodge mobility spring. Or ranged feats for the matter.

[Xgya]

I thought you need to take tier 1 dilly to get repeater and lev 1 scrolls? (For bolts) :confused:

Btw I got 2 rad ap, forgot to mention it.

I'll try vampire, if it dosent work I'll swap out for wraith.

Also should I spend a feat in specialise necromancy?

Which meta works with death auras? And spell sword for the matter.

If I not wrong I should be getting feats in this order:

Roll up: pointblank shot

augmented summoning
extend
insightful reflex
maximise
empower
Mental toughness

Pity no room for dodge mobility spring. Or ranged feats for the matter.

Artificer Dilettante is a feat chosen at first level by half-elves.

I don't exactly know how to counsel you about feats, but you're missing 5 whole feats from that build. (wizard levels 1,5,10,15 and 20), which is when I picked metamagics myself.
Normal feats were pretty much all ranged.

Insightful Reflexes is only useful if you get Evasion (I didn't, went medium armor instead, but I can see the benefits)
I didn't pick any 'damage' metamagics, though I could've, I often found myself with too much mana, and I think I took Mental Toughness at some point.
Quicken proved to be more valuable because while spells have cooldowns, I could shoot while that happened.

Death Aura takes Quicken and Extend from the ones I tested.

[Mindos]

No sharn.

Might be able to use a Wand of Flamearrow, I think it makes bolts as well.. If the min level of the wand is too high, might be able to have a higher level alt use it a lot and maybe pass the bolts in the shared bank? Idk, that all sounds horrible and wrong, nevermind.

[Mindos]

Dont understand this part though Until you rest you have -2 Diplomacy (stacks up to 100 times)., also dont understand what the helf diplo, imdt, bluff is meant for also.


Every toon gets bluff, intim, and diplo. But a half-elf gets another copy of each, and they don't share a timer. So roll up a half elf, check your feats page, and drag them to the bar. So you can bluff a mob, then bluff another mob right away, since you have two bluffs, and they have seperate timers.

So check your diplo score on the skills tab as well. As long as it is positive, you can use that diplo immunity in the racial tree. But, every time you use it, -2 comes off the skill. So you can't use it when it hits zero. But every time you use it, it puts your half elf social graces on cooldown. The social graces are the extra copies of bluff, intim, diplo we listed above.

[NemesisAlien]

Every toon gets bluff, intim, and diplo. But a half-elf gets another copy of each, and they don't share a timer. So roll up a half elf, check your feats page, and drag them to the bar. So you can bluff a mob, then bluff another mob right away, since you have two bluffs, and they have seperate timers.

So check your diplo score on the skills tab as well. As long as it is positive, you can use that diplo immunity in the racial tree. But, every time you use it, -2 comes off the skill. So you can't use it when it hits zero. But every time you use it, it puts your half elf social graces on cooldown. The social graces are the extra copies of bluff, intim, diplo we listed above.

The helf buff/diplo/imd on cooldown but still can use the normal one right? (I've never use those clickies before actually, the normal ones. nor heal or repair for the matter.)

[LavidDynch]

Doesn't matter for a TR, vet only affects new characters.

Looking at all the responses people really play different subgames of DDO. Some of the suggestions are unplayably weak for how my group runs. Some are just preference. If you are running heroic elite (maybe hard in newest content) and epic hard, anything will get you there. If you are running reapers without past lives, you have to be more selective. If you are trying to complete quests fast you have to be more selective. If you want to do a slow dungeon crawl on lower difficulty, literally any build can do it with a hireling.

As H-E,If you intend to go R1, I´d say warlock is OP. Sorc is a bit squishy for my taste, and there are several quests you might want to avoid due to mob resistance. I enjoy warlock for their selfheal (temp hp), utility, CC, insta kills and the DPS is decent for heroic and low reaper content and I also never have to think twice about what content I´m about to run, actually you don´t even have to think when you are running stuff!

When I do melee life there are some stuff I just don´t do straight up, unless there is a PUG I can pike in.. example of stuff I tend to avoid on non-warlock would be quests with massive spawn of mobs with high HP´s (devil chain, high road and such). Reapers can also trip you up as they sometimes spawns from nowhere.

Artis are okay, if you have the gear for it. But they drop off a little bit at 16+ Q´s when mob HP´s get inflated.

[Feralthyrtiaq]

1st Choice Fire Sorc with Warlock Dilletante
or
2nd Choice Fire elemental Druid with Warlock Dilletante

[Xgya]

The helf buff/diplo/imd on cooldown but still can use the normal one right? (I've never use those clickies before actually, the normal ones. nor heal or repair for the matter.)

That's basically it.
You get to use them both on separate cooldowns.

I use Diplo while grouping. Scrubs the aggro off me and onto any expecting (or unsuspecting) party member.
Intimidate is useful for tanks, but I don't see myself building a HElf tank any time soon.
Bluff, if you get it high enough, is useful if you're using a fragile build with little AoE, because it lets you aggro a single mob from a group without alerting all of them - it's even doable from behind walls, as long as you managed to target the mob beforehand.

Heal and Repair... I often forget those can be use for something other than higher spell power XD

I'll fully admit I never used the HElf version of the social skills, mostly because clicking the skill once usually does the trick.

[Hutoth]

Anything with a full helm.

[NemesisAlien]

That's basically it.
You get to use them both on separate cooldowns.

I use Diplo while grouping. Scrubs the aggro off me and onto any expecting (or unsuspecting) party member.
Intimidate is useful for tanks, but I don't see myself building a HElf tank any time soon.
Bluff, if you get it high enough, is useful if you're using a fragile build with little AoE, because it lets you aggro a single mob from a group without alerting all of them - it's even doable from behind walls, as long as you managed to target the mob beforehand.

Heal and Repair... I often forget those can be use for something other than higher spell power XD

I'll fully admit I never used the HElf version of the social skills, mostly because clicking the skill once usually does the trick.

So helf skills is not bigger better more imba? Just takes up more space?

Btw the skills is there a distance factor?

[Xgya]

So helf skills is not bigger better more imba? Just takes up more space?

Btw the skills is there a distance factor?

Yup. Just a second button to press that has the same effect.
Diplo/Intimidate have a short (about as large as a standard AoE spell, centered the character) range affecting everyone in it.
Bluff has the normal spell range, or something a tiny bit shorter, affecting a single target

[mikarddo]

Already did my tetris, took me over 6hrs >_<", cache cleared, wood used, awaiting 20th, just need to click the reincarnate button.

Got +7stats, no completionist, no sharn, what should I go for?

My advice if you intend to TR often is to stop hording so much. It takes me 10-15 mins to clear my cache now and I dont even need Coin Lords or House K favor for extra slots to do so.

As for your question. Either Inquisitive or Sorc.

[NemesisAlien]

Anything with a full helm.

https://media1.giphy.com/media/7Am7Ydb6CcjKg/source.gif

[Komradkillingmachine]

anything with a full helm.

:d

[NemesisAlien]

I think I decided, 1st level rogue for trapping, then 3 levels of wiz for pm, then 4 levels of warlock for enlightened tree, fey, granted I'll have no points in cha, but ship buffs should offset that, I'll still be able to cast level 1 spells, then back to wiz until level 15 where I take 2nd rogue, then finish it off with wiz.

2 r ap to 1st and 2nd core.

6ap to pm

1ap to archmage for the 2 sp magic missle spam. [Total 7 ap] (Not sure if I need this since I'm using repeater AND got warlock shooting.) [But then again with cloak of night, blocking I can spam it while blocking]

12ap to harper for hit and damage. [Total 19 ap]

27ap to es [total 46ap]

9 ap to ek [total 55ap]

8 ap to assassin for poison attack. [total 63ap]

Then bring pm to tier 4 for unholy avatar. 21-6= 15 [total 78ap]

And use the left over on ek. [12ap left?]

Note I do NOT have sharn so do not have inquisitor.

So assuming everything goes right, I'll have energy drain damage, sonic damage, force damage, light damage, poison damage and element damage. (probably choose electric.) [If vampire range works then healing also.] {Dont forget repeaters also usually will have some form of damage of their own also.}

Most of my sp will be for buffing I guess. Might throw in some things like cloud kill for kicks.

Feats...

Point blank shot
Augmented Summoning
Extend
Empower
Maximise
Insightful Reflex

What else should I get? Might have to adjust stats so I can get it.

Dex 13
Int max (18?)
Everything else to Con.

Anything else?

[Xgya]

I think I decided, 1st level rogue for trapping, then 3 levels of wiz for pm, then 4 levels of warlock for enlightened tree, fey, granted I'll have no points in cha, but ship buffs should offset that, I'll still be able to cast level 1 spells, then back to wiz until level 15 where I take 2nd rogue, then finish it off with wiz.

2 r ap to 1st and 2nd core.

6ap to pm

1ap to archmage for the 2 sp magic missle spam. [Total 7 ap] (Not sure if I need this since I'm using repeater AND got warlock shooting.) [But then again with cloak of night, blocking I can spam it while blocking]

12ap to harper for hit and damage. [Total 19 ap]

27ap to es [total 46ap]

9 ap to ek [total 55ap]

8 ap to assassin for poison attack. [total 63ap]

Then bring pm to tier 4 for unholy avatar. 21-6= 15 [total 78ap]

And use the left over on ek. [12ap left?]

Note I do NOT have sharn so do not have inquisitor.

So assuming everything goes right, I'll have energy drain damage, sonic damage, force damage, light damage, poison damage and element damage. (probably choose electric.) [If vampire range works then healing also.] {Dont forget repeaters also usually will have some form of damage of their own also.}

Most of my sp will be for buffing I guess. Might throw in some things like cloud kill for kicks.

Feats...

Point blank shot
Augmented Summoning
Extend
Empower
Maximise
Insightful Reflex

What else should I get? Might have to adjust stats so I can get it.

Dex 13
Int max (18?)
Everything else to Con.

Anything else?

You only took 6 feats out of 7 normal, +3 from bonus feats at Wizard 1, 5 and 10.
Using those feats to fetch Extend, Maximize and Empower, that leaves room for Rapid Reload, Precise Shot and Rapid Shot.
The speed feats are especially relevant, since your BaB will already be lower than a similarly-leveled Ranger, which will lower your attack speed in a noticeable manner, and you won't be able to fix that with Tenser's (at least unless you want to use scrolls) until level 16.
You could go for more defense-oriented feats, but if you intend to use that ranged weapon as anything but what a high level wizard would use the Cacophonic Verge (break boxes and finish enemies without wasting mana), you need slightly more focus into that aspect.

Of course, that means you wouldn't get Maximize or Empower until level 16, but it's still quite doable.
Since you're getting Evasion at 15, that's where I'd slot Insightful Reflexes.
Augment Summoning is probably a waste of a feat slot, unless you intend to use a lot of hires/charms. Even then, if you're going to charm things, the Enchantment necklace from Ravenloft gives the feat for free, so taking it is rather redundant.

Your AP split makes me think you're building an ES Warlock with levels in another class much more than a Wizard - after all, a Warlock class tree is the one you have the most AP in.
You're getting 3d4 light damage +4d6 spellsword from your build. (average 21.5 - though that would be split along two different spellpowers)
Going 18 Wiz instead (and spending 31 AP in EK)
6d10 (average 33, scaling off your best elemental spellpower)

Removing Warlock from the equation would also end up giving you another free feat (from going Wizard 15), and would probably allow you to get evasion sooner (about level 9 - right after you'd get Death Aura, which is an important enough goal to aim for)
You'd also earn level 8 and 9 wizard spells, and those should do more damage than any Warlock SLA you'd have acquired otherwise.

Edit: The poison damage from Assassin is probably not that safe a bet either, since it'll scale off a stat you're not aiming to get that high (ranged power).
In any case, trying to get all the possible types of damage is cool in that your line of damage is fairly long with multiple effects showing, but it's nowhere near as effective as being very good at one element and slightly worse at a second one (I used the ravenloft elemental belts, so I switched between either ice and elec or fire and acid depending on what type of enemies I was about to face)

[NemesisAlien]

You only took 6 feats out of 7 normal, +3 from bonus feats at Wizard 1, 5 and 10.
Using those feats to fetch Extend, Maximize and Empower, that leaves room for Rapid Reload, Precise Shot and Rapid Shot.
The speed feats are especially relevant, since your BaB will already be lower than a similarly-leveled Ranger, which will lower your attack speed in a noticeable manner, and you won't be able to fix that with Tenser's (at least unless you want to use scrolls) until level 16.
You could go for more defense-oriented feats, but if you intend to use that ranged weapon as anything but what a high level wizard would use the Cacophonic Verge (break boxes and finish enemies without wasting mana), you need slightly more focus into that aspect.

Of course, that means you wouldn't get Maximize or Empower until level 16, but it's still quite doable.
Since you're getting Evasion at 15, that's where I'd slot Insightful Reflexes.
Augment Summoning is probably a waste of a feat slot, unless you intend to use a lot of hires/charms. Even then, if you're going to charm things, the Enchantment necklace from Ravenloft gives the feat for free, so taking it is rather redundant.

Your AP split makes me think you're building an ES Warlock with levels in another class much more than a Wizard - after all, a Warlock class tree is the one you have the most AP in.
You're getting 3d4 light damage +4d6 spellsword from your build. (average 21.5 - though that would be split along two different spellpowers)
Going 18 Wiz instead (and spending 31 AP in EK)
6d10 (average 33, scaling off your best elemental spellpower)

Removing Warlock from the equation would also end up giving you another free feat (from going Wizard 15), and would probably allow you to get evasion sooner (about level 9 - right after you'd get Death Aura, which is an important enough goal to aim for)
You'd also earn level 8 and 9 wizard spells, and those should do more damage than any Warlock SLA you'd have acquired otherwise.

Edit: The poison damage from Assassin is probably not that safe a bet either, since it'll scale off a stat you're not aiming to get that high (ranged power).
In any case, trying to get all the possible types of damage is cool in that your line of damage is fairly long with multiple effects showing, but it's nowhere near as effective as being very good at one element and slightly worse at a second one (I used the ravenloft elemental belts, so I switched between either ice and elec or fire and acid depending on what type of enemies I was about to face)

I love Cacophonic Verge, can just stand there and spam it until the mobs at the other side of the door is dead, too bad the epic version is pretty much useless.

Q: Can you use wands while blocking?

I only got so few feats because I dont know what to get, which is why I ask, now to research whats the prerequisites for Rapid Reload, Precise Shot and Rapid Shot, thanks. :D

Edit, Dex 13, safe. Should I get Improved Precise Shot? How about Shot on the Run? Need dodge and mobility though. :/

Also this Enchantment necklace, havent got that one yet. Thanks again. Reason to get that feat because I want to farm mm also.

With so many meta feats on wont that cost a lot of sp?

Also do you casters actually keep turning on defensive toggle? Seem a hassle, although its +1 armor more.

For poison, dont forget I got +7 stats, but then again I could use it in archmage to lower the sp cost for metas. Decisions, sigh.

[Xgya]

I love Cacophonic Verge, can just stand there and spam it until the mobs at the other side of the door is dead, too bad the epic version is pretty much useless.

Q: Can you use wands while blocking?

I only got so few feats because I dont know what to get, which is why I ask, now to research whats the prerequisites for Rapid Reload, Precise Shot and Rapid Shot, thanks. :D

Edit, Dex 13, safe. Should I get Improved Precise Shot? How about Shot on the Run? Need dodge and mobility though. :/

Also this Enchantment necklace, havent got that one yet. Thanks again. Reason to get that feat because I want to farm mm also.

With so many meta feats on wont that cost a lot of sp?

Also do you casters actually keep turning on defensive toggle? Seem a hassle, although its +1 armor more.

For poison, dont forget I got +7 stats, but then again I could use it in archmage to lower the sp cost for metas. Decisions, sigh.

So, you can use wands while blocking, no issue. Never tried Eldritch Blasting while blocking though - I know you didn't bring it up, but it's an interesting thing I'd like to know.

Imp Precise Shot will only be available in epics because of the BaB requirements. It'd be good, but don't aim for it. Really, by the time you get there, you'll be casting spells most of the time, using your weapon either to soften up targets from longer range, or to finish them off if a single spell wasn't enough. Even if you DID want to get it, your tome +13 base covers the 19 dex required. Not quite enough for Combat Archery, but you're also better off not taking that one. If you go epic, you'll want more caster feats - EK sadly scales poorly.

I'll never recommend Shot on the Run. It's an awful feat by any measure. Spring Attack at least gives you some amount of Dodge...

Found the necklace I was talking about: Kindred Pendant (https://ddowiki.com/page/Item:Kindred_Pendant)

About metas/SP, I can't really say. I didn't take either empower OR maximize, and relied on crossbow bolts for most of my heroic life, using spells only to clear out grouped up mobs or to get some extra CC. Doing so on R3, doing more than the base spell probably would've been overkill.

Defensive fighting is a hassle not worth using.

Poison is based off nothing but ranged power. Your current build gets exactly 0 unless you count what you could earn from epic leveling, or if you plan to use some set bonus that gives you a tidbit. Either way, it's a very, very steep price to get 1d8 slightly, very slightly scaling damage.

[NemesisAlien]

So, you can use wands while blocking, no issue. Never tried Eldritch Blasting while blocking though - I know you didn't bring it up, but it's an interesting thing I'd like to know.

Imp Precise Shot will only be available in epics because of the BaB requirements. It'd be good, but don't aim for it. Really, by the time you get there, you'll be casting spells most of the time, using your weapon either to soften up targets from longer range, or to finish them off if a single spell wasn't enough. Even if you DID want to get it, your tome +13 base covers the 19 dex required. Not quite enough for Combat Archery, but you're also better off not taking that one. If you go epic, you'll want more caster feats - EK sadly scales poorly.

I'll never recommend Shot on the Run. It's an awful feat by any measure. Spring Attack at least gives you some amount of Dodge...

Found the necklace I was talking about: Kindred Pendant (https://ddowiki.com/page/Item:Kindred_Pendant)

About metas/SP, I can't really say. I didn't take either empower OR maximize, and relied on crossbow bolts for most of my heroic life, using spells only to clear out grouped up mobs or to get some extra CC. Doing so on R3, doing more than the base spell probably would've been overkill.

Defensive fighting is a hassle not worth using.

Poison is based off nothing but ranged power. Your current build gets exactly 0 unless you count what you could earn from epic leveling, or if you plan to use some set bonus that gives you a tidbit. Either way, it's a very, very steep price to get 1d8 slightly, very slightly scaling damage.

Man's best friend's best tool ;)

Perhaps I'll use poison after I get shroud, when I get enough ap dump it for harper, should be good for around 1-6 cr +2 quest, harper is 12ap, poison is only 8ap, so got 1 level to play with.

Wonder when they going to activate the level 10 thingy, been waiting all week.

Thanks again.

[C-Dog]

Wonder when they going to activate the level 10 thingy, been waiting all week.
At least 10 hours ~before~ you asked that question.

o https://www.ddo.com/forums/showthread.php/508597-Veteran-Status-III-event-is-live-through-September-25th!?p=6250637&viewfull=1#post6250637

[NemesisAlien]

At least 10 hours ~before~ you asked that question.

o https://www.ddo.com/forums/showthread.php/508597-Veteran-Status-III-event-is-live-through-September-25th!?p=6250637&viewfull=1#post6250637

Sigh, I just realise its NEW characters, not TR... wasted a week :/

[droid327]

I'll never recommend Shot on the Run. It's an awful feat by any measure. Spring Attack at least gives you some amount of Dodge...


I gotta argue with this statement....

SotR is definitely low on the priority list - you gotta have a lot of feats and a lot of autogrants before that's the best option for you. But that's plausible considering Arti, Fighter, and Ranger are all good classes to mix into a ranged build.

At high levels, to-hit becomes important, and you'll be constantly moving, so that +4 to attack rolls is not negligible. And +3 ranged power is always nice to have. But you're likely going to be capped on Dodge without Spring Attack, considering how much you get from gear etc. and how Dodge/Mob is already a prereq for both anyway.

[NemesisAlien]

Hey it works! Vampire there is like 10% chance to heal you! Shooting! Tried it on the training dummy.

[C-Dog]

Sigh, I just realise its NEW characters, not TR...
All three Vet statuses work the same - new characters only.