Scorpion Wraith (Drow Rog13/Fig6/Barb1)

[donotdirect1]

I've been playing around with ideas on building a drow. First I made a simple by the books assassin. No matter how nice skills looked or the damage from sneak attack I just wasn't getting where I wanted to. So in a fit of rage I made this build.

Now the builds goals are: Weapon finesse, Dual Rapiers, Full Sneak/Trap/Lock/Haggle Skills, 300+ HP base

The builds advantages are: Access to a +2 intelligence tome. Other tomes written in as a guide on looking at base stats except the +1 Strength Tome (Which will be used earlier, just put it in before power attack for reference to others)

The builds limitations are: No monk class or 32 point builds

The idea is: Sooner or later they will release the Scorpion Wraith PrE, which should allow this character to take the full assassin line someday. In the meantime it'll be a solid rogue and DPS who deserves every bit to be up next to the fighters instead of cowering. Barbarian for increase movement, kensai for increased damage and other goodies.

Character Plan by DDO Character Planner Version 3.34
DDO Character Planner Home Page

Level 20 True Neutral Drow Female
(6 Fighter \ 1 Barbarian \ 13 Rogue) 
Hit Points: 312
Spell Points: 0 
BAB: 16\16\21\26\26
Fortitude: 15
Reflex: 17
Will: 7

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
Abilities        Base Stats          Modified Stats
(28 Point)       (Level 1)             (Level 20)
Strength             12                    16
Dexterity            14                    24
Constitution         16                    18
Intelligence         14                    16
Wisdom                8                     8
Charisma             10                    10

Tomes Used
+2 Tome of Intelligence used at level 7
+1 Tome of Strength used at level 11
+2 Tome of Strength used at level 20
+2 Tome of Dexterity used at level 20
+2 Tome of Constitution used at level 20

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
                 Base Skills         Modified Skills
Skills           (Level 1)            (Level 20)
Balance               6                    14
Bluff                 0                     5
Concentration         3                     5
Diplomacy             0                     1
Disable Device        6                    26
Haggle                4                    23
Heal                 -1                    -1
Hide                  6                    36
Intimidate            0                     1
Jump                  4                    19
Listen               -1                     1
Move Silently         6                    36
Open Lock             6                    20
Perform               n/a                   n/a
Repair                2                     3
Search                6                    28
Spot                  3                     8
Swim                  1                     3
Tumble                3                     8
Use Magic Device      4                    23

Level 1 (Rogue)
Feat: (Selected) Toughness


Level 2 (Fighter)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Weapon Finesse


Level 3 (Rogue)
Feat: (Selected) Two Weapon Fighting


Level 4 (Barbarian)


Level 5 (Rogue)


Level 6 (Rogue)
Feat: (Selected) Weapon Focus: Piercing Weapons


Level 7 (Fighter)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Improved Two Weapon Fighting


Level 8 (Rogue)


Level 9 (Rogue)
Feat: (Selected) Sap


Level 10 (Fighter)


Level 11 (Fighter)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Weapon Specialization: Piercing Weapons


Level 12 (Fighter)
Feat: (Selected) Power Attack


Level 13 (Fighter)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Greater Two Weapon Fighting


Level 14 (Rogue)


Level 15 (Rogue)
Feat: (Selected) Improved Critical: Piercing Weapons


Level 16 (Rogue)


Level 17 (Rogue)
Feat: (Rogue Bonus) Cripling Strike


Level 18 (Rogue)
Feat: (Selected) Iron Will


Level 19 (Rogue)


Level 20 (Rogue)
Feat: (Rogue Bonus) Improved Evasion
Enhancement: Fighter Attack Boost I
Enhancement: Fighter Attack Boost II
Enhancement: Rogue Damage Boost I
Enhancement: Rogue Damage Boost II
Enhancement: Rogue Haste Boost I
Enhancement: Rogue Haste Boost II
Enhancement: Rogue Haste Boost III
Enhancement: Rogue Haste Boost IV
Enhancement: Rogue Skill Boost I
Enhancement: Rogue Skill Boost II
Enhancement: Barbarian Sprint Boost I
Enhancement: Drow Melee Damage I
Enhancement: Drow Melee Damage II
Enhancement: Elven Dexterity I
Enhancement: Elven Dexterity II
Enhancement: Kensei Rapier Mastery I
Enhancement: Fighter Critical Accuracy I
Enhancement: Fighter Critical Accuracy II
Enhancement: Fighter Kensei I
Enhancement: Rogue Subtle Backstabbing I
Enhancement: Racial Toughness I
Enhancement: Racial Toughness II
Enhancement: Rogue Faster Sneaking I
Enhancement: Rogue Assassin I
Enhancement: Rogue Assassin II
Enhancement: Rogue Sneak Attack Accuracy I
Enhancement: Rogue Sneak Attack Accuracy II
Enhancement: Rogue Sneak Attack Accuracy III
Enhancement: Rogue Sneak Attack Training I
Enhancement: Rogue Sneak Attack Training II
Enhancement: Rogue Sneak Attack Training III
Enhancement: Rogue Hide I
Enhancement: Rogue Hide II
Enhancement: Rogue Move Silently I
Enhancement: Rogue Move Silently II
Enhancement: Rogue Dexterity I
Enhancement: Fighter Strength I
Enhancement: Fighter Strength II
Enhancement: Fighter Toughness I
Enhancement: Fighter Toughness II

Questionable Feat Choices: Sap and Iron Will. If superior two weapon fighting was added, I'd hold off my fighter level to get in on it. Combat Expertise + Trip could be a good spend of the feats, or even stunning blow, I however think that Sap is very rogue like and would like to try it. Iron Will is for the abysmal will save as I couldn't justify putting build points there when I was trying to meet my goals.

Feel free to leave comments and advice.

[unbongwah]

IMHO, if you're not going for high AC, Finesse builds are a waste of a good feat and build points. But if you are going with a Finesse build, why on Earth would you start with only DEX 14 on a drow? Also, TWF requires DEX 15, but you took it at lvl 3 with base DEX 14, AFAICT.

Is a single use of Rage better than the extra feat + WIS AC boost from monk? Or did you plan to wear light armor?

[Rav'n]

I get the "I don't want to be squishy" part... but is 16 Con really worth it on a Drow? I play Elf/Drow almost exclusively... 14 Con should be fine. Take the extra points and stick them into Dex... like Ung posted, If you're going Drow/Finesse .... why "tank" your Dex? Because let's face it.... 14 Dex on a Drow is Tanked....

[Aerendil]

Yep, I agree with the other posters.
Lower Con to 14. 16 costs way too many build points on an Elf/Drow.
Use those free 6 points you just freed up to increase Str and Dex.
Maybe ditch Finesse as well and go Str-based.

I don't quite understand your Scorpion Wraith comment. It won't be compatible with Assassin, as it will count as a Rogue PrE (in much the same way as Arcane Archer can be a racial PrE, but cannot be taken if you already have a Ranger PrE). So it'll be one PrE or the other, you can't have both.

/Fighter and Barbarian splashes are definitely interesting, although I can't imagine trying to keep the Rogue skills up to speed with 7 levels of a 2 skill-point-per-level class. Ouch. I struggle with my Rogue/Monk, and Monk has 4/lvl.
6 Fighter is good, as it will up your dps somewhat, but generally speaking a 6 Monk splash would be better. Ninja Spy / Assasin has a lot of synergy, and you'll get better saves, AC, and just as many feats splashing that. Plus stances.

Feats are semi-questionable (Sap, Iron Will, etc.), but not sure what to put in their place. Dodge perhaps, although your AC won't be great anyways; CE? again, AC may not be high enough to matter. Hmm...dunno.

[donotdirect1]

The builds limitations are: No monk class or 32 point builds

The idea is: Sooner or later they will release the Scorpion Wraith PrE, which should allow this character to take the full assassin line someday. In the meantime it'll be a solid rogue and DPS who deserves every bit to be up next to the fighters instead of cowering. Barbarian for increase movement, kensai for increased damage and other goodies.

I mean... I wrote it right there and all three posters didn't get it. The account in question will not have the monk class. And I don't expect to be able to take the assassin and the scorpion wraith, I expect to be able to take all three tiers of scorpion wraith even though I didn't go 18 rogue.

I originally had her dex higher and her con at 14. But then as I was figuring out her to-hit with sneak attack accuracy, weapon focus, bonuses to dexterity through both race and class, I found I could hit dex 30 pretty easy. Let's not forget that this character does have improved evasion so reflex saves are supporting synergy.

It's pretty easy keeping the rogue skills in balance. I probably could take a lower intelligence and still get full rogue skills (I put too many skill points in both jump and open lock).

However, even with the logic up behind the fact that the character will likely not miss much I think I will adjust the con/dex as suggested.

I think I still want to take sap to try it out, but may ditch iron will for oversized two weapon fighting.

[unbongwah]

DDO has been out for 4 years and we still have only one racial PrE - and it's identical to a class PrE. Planning a build around a racial PrE which hasn't even been announced yet AFAIK seems unduly...optimistic. [Does Scorpion Wraith = Assassin? I'm not familiar with Eberron outside of DDO.]

But even so, I still don't see what a Finesse build gets you that a STR build wouldn't, especially with your barb splash Rage. Yes, you could get your DEX a bit higher than your STR (up to +7 if I'm adding right), but you're lowering your overall (non-SA) DPS; and this doesn't seem to be an AC build.

Also, you took Assassin II, but don't forget your Assassinate DC is based partially on your rogue levels; so at endgame you're losing out on a lot of DC. Again, not familiar with Scorpion Wraith; does this replace Assassin at some point?

[donotdirect1]

The theme of the racial PrEs in DDO go the way of replacing class PrEs (ala Arcane Archer and Dwarven Defender being ranger Arcane Archer and fighter Stalwart Defender). I can only imagine that they will put in a similar line of Scorpion Wraith = Assassin.

I'd quote the book and go into a rant about spiked chains... but none of that is really likely to happen. However *if* it did Spiked chains are finessable too. Optimistic... not exactly. But does help support the balanced rogue build with solid feat support.

I wanted full stealth skills on this character, and an awesome evasion, finesse does help both of those things.

The barbarian isn't about the rage, it's about the speed and the hit points. With a 13 split and going fighter I had a choice of either going 7 fighter for another toughness or 1 barbarian for increased speed and 2 more hitpoints. I understand there is a pretty clear weakness in dexterity and finesse builds, and I understand what you mean about AC.

Rogue PrEs are easily swappable, and with a balanced intelligence and full skills this character can easily swap around and take acrobat for immunity to knockdowns and kicks, or mechanic with a dexterity high enough to support some use of the crossbows.

The assassin II DCs do leave something to be desired. A whole 7 missing levels is detrimental. Assassin does have other perks though. Scorpion Wraith if implemented as assassin by all rights should make all class levels = rogue for it's class features.

A small side note about the barbarian... I feel it supports the flavor of the wraith with their fast moving gorilla style tactics. This is not meant purely as a flavor build, it's just a nice note.