3 mths slowly getting it, need advice,

[SlowDM]

I'm new to online gaming but pc proficient. I play for fun , not bothered about which class race is best. I play solo a lot got a 27 hard difficulty bravery streak. I'm trying them on epic now before i advance too much
After 3 months, 15 characters. I have got 1 i really like. half elf Wizard level 4 now. I will show Alithers stats 32 point build
str 8 balance 7
dex 16 bluff 0.5
con 14 co ncentration 9
int 20 diplomacy 3.5
wis 8 disable device n/a
chr 8 haggle -1
hp 60 heal 0
sp 315 intimidate -1
ac 13 +2 jump -1
fort save +3 listen 0.5
reflex save +4 move silent 0.5
will save +3 open lock n/a
attack bonus +2 perform n/a
feats picked repair 5
metal toughness search 7
toughness spot 3
dilettante articifer swim -1
least dragonmark of storm tumble n/a
use magic device n/a i will pick soon

Now i need to ask a few questions
Multi class, this dilettante artificer. . If i visit arti trainer and go for arti training is that the end of advancing in wizard levels? or can a just pick either next time when i advance?
The open locks disable device . Can i only get that when i choose arti ?
Is sneak a good option for a wizard with high dex and +3 magic items? and worth spending skill points on move silent and hide ?

i have more questions but i'll leave them till next time

SlowDM

[Aurora1979]

I'm new to online gaming but pc proficient. I play for fun , not bothered about which class race is best. I play solo a lot got a 27 hard difficulty bravery streak. I'm trying them on epic now before i advance too much
After 3 months, 15 characters. I have got 1 i really like. half elf Wizard level 4 now. I will show Alithers stats 32 point build
str 8 balance 7
dex 16 bluff 0.5
con 14 co ncentration 9
int 20 diplomacy 3.5
wis 8 disable device n/a
chr 8 haggle -1
hp 60 heal 0
sp 315 intimidate -1
ac 13 +2 jump -1
fort save +3 listen 0.5
reflex save +4 move silent 0.5
will save +3 open lock n/a
attack bonus +2 perform n/a
feats picked repair 5
metal toughness search 7
toughness spot 3
dilettante articifer swim -1
least dragonmark of storm tumble n/a
use magic device n/a i will pick soon

Now i need to ask a few questions
Multi class, this dilettante artificer. . If i visit arti trainer and go for arti training is that the end of advancing in wizard levels? or can a just pick either next time when i advance?
The open locks disable device . Can i only get that when i choose arti ?
Is sneak a good option for a wizard with high dex and +3 magic items? and worth spending skill points on move silent and hide ?

i have more questions but i'll leave them till next time

SlowDM

that build breakdown is really hard to read.

Any chance you can run it through rons character planner (check google ive not got the link atm)

On the other questions....

yes if you muliti class you can take future levels in your previous class. You can have up to 3 different classes and could take any of them at any level.

You can put points into open locks on your izard levels too but they are cross class meaning 1 point spent equals 0.5 skill gain.

theres alot of debate on hide/ move sliently for different builds. Personally I put a few pionts in move silent, if I have spares and just cast invisi... that seems to work too.

there used to be a great shadowmage build..... cant remember if MrCow (apparently not, sorry ghoste made it.... im not sure if its still viable but might be worth a look.... Ill try and find the link.

[BOgre]

Ron's planner is HERE

You do want to learn to use it. Most of your character related questions can be answered there.

As to whether or not a certain skill is a good choice for a certain class, well, it really depends on what you want to do, and since you're still very new, you just can't know the answer to that.

I'd STRONGLY recommend starting your DDO career with a pre-planned build, such as can be found in Tihocan's Revisiting Paths. Read his descriptions of the builds, see if one of the wizzard builds suits you, and go from there. Or, if Artificer is a priority for you, then look up one of those here. Honestly, there's nothing more frustrating for a new player than spending a few months playing it 'by ear', only to find out you've made a terrible mistake and your 'favorite' character has become more or less useless.

Later on, when you really start to understand what characters look/feel/play like in the higher levels, you can start to think about your own custom built character, maybe for a 2nd life after reincarnation.

[BakuraTheWhiteWizard]

Be careful with the Character Sheet spread like that. Just 'cause it looks neat in the text field, it's not so much when it actually gets into the post. xP Try it in straight lines, or perhaps use ____ as spacers instead of spaces.

Str = 8
Dex = 16
Con = 14
Int = 20
Wis = 8
Cha = 8

AC = 13
Fort = +3
Reflex = +4
Will save = +3

Feats
Mental Toughness
Toughness
Dilettant Artificer
Least Dragonmark of Storm

balance 7
bluff 0.5
co ncentration 9
diplomacy 3.5
disable device n/a
haggle -1
heal 0
intimidate -1
jump -1
listen 0.5
move silent 0.5
open lock n/a
perform n/a
repair 5
search 7
spot 3
swim -1
tumble n/a
use magic device n/a i will pick soon

Okay, now to answer your questions.

When you multiclass, you stop taking levels of wizard for whatever other class you choose. You are however, able to go back should you choose. There are restrictions to some multi-class options (such as bard and monk won't mix because of differing alignment requirements).

If you're planning on new skills to add in willy nilly later, I'd reconsider, or reroll. Multiclassing and character planning are best done before the characteris made. Not that it can't work otherwise, but it's generally easier.

Also, when listing stats, list just the base + tomes. At level 4, either you started with 19 intel, or you've taken a +1 tome already, or you have a +1 item. I don't know which, so be sure to mention such things!

Also, don't be afraid to put up a lot of questions. It helps get things out of the way all at once.

As for sneaking, it's amazing. Ghoste's Shadow Mage Philosophy is an amazing thing! I used to run it ages ago. Lots of fun. All sorts of entertaining. There are links to videos showing the ins and outs. A link to an actual "build" is listed as well.

[Daggertooth]

Hey there guy:

You can lvl in any 3 classes at any time, so you can definitely take an artificer level and then go back and continue on with wizard.

The Disable Device and Open Lock skill require one level of Artificer or Rogue. Once you've taken the 1st rank with one of those classes you can then continue to level those skills up up with your skill points from wizard etc, although it will be a half rank per point and per level unless you are continuing as an artificer (because Artificer has Disable Device and Open Lock as a Class Skill, whereas Wizard does not so you only get 1/2 rank per point spent so it levels up at half the rate)

If you want to use stealth tactics then its definitely worthwhile to take Move Silently and Hide...

My advice to you is take your time and be careful what you read here. My experience from the forums is that most of them are like someone who continues to tell you the next scene in a movie that you havent seen as your watching it. If you say um excuse me would you mind letting me watch the movie? The equivalent response would be 'why would you want to watch it, its a lot quicker if I just tell you what happens'. So yeah thats pretty much 99% of the help and advice you'l get on the forums, ofc this is just my opinion and your welcome to try to decipher the information from the other people who responded if you so choose. I'd be happy to help you with any questions you have if you want to send me a private message.

[Superspeed_Hi5]

Also when it comes to multiclassing its very important to have it planned out. I noticed you said you were planning on adding UMD later. UMD is great if you know how to plan for it. Being able to cast no fail heal scrolls is fantastic but it requires an incredibly high UMD to pull off which most likely require you to have a better Cha score than you currently have. Which means adding it at a later date may be a moot point for you, it may be closer to you flushing skill points down the toilet.

If you want to do something like an Arti/Wiz or a Rogue/Wiz its important that you take the class you want max skill points in at lvl 1 meaning taking Arti or Rogue at lvl 1 so you can put max skill points in Search/Disable/UMD. This will allow you to max them out at lvl 1 and place 2 skill points in each skill at lvl up, granted cross class each point is only half a rank but you can put 2 points in for 1 full rank each.

Also with the stat points you started with are not well suited for the build. You started with a decent Constitution which I applaud you for. However the 16 dex is high and probably could have started (or should have) with an 8 dex and put the rest of the points into Cha(UMD) or more Con(HP always useful). Dex on a wiz is virtually useless. AC? Pointless unless you have planned to hit a 70 AC self buffed, especially if you keep yourself blurry and displaced since it will check twice everytime you are attacked 20% Miss chance for Blurred, 50% for displacement.

I would recommend at this point you stay pure Wizard since you have not planned for Multi classing. Also you should prepare to take the following metamagic feats - Empower, Maximize, Heighten, Quicken and if room extend. You may need to get rid of that dragonmark also.

Also

[Kinerd]

Pure wizards can be very, very fun. Wizards have two very good PrEs: Pale Master and Archmage. Pale Master fun comes in the form of "I look at you, you are dead" over and over and over (it never gets old). Archmage can do that almost as well and a bunch of other fun things, but if you are a half-elf you won't have the same self-healing ability, and playing a nigh-indestructible killing machine is very fun.

My recommendation to you is to stay pure wizard and go Pale Master. You need:
Spell Focus: Necromancy, Greater Spell Focus: Necromancy, Toughness, and Mental Toughness feats
Energy of the Scholar 3, Wizard Intelligence 3 enhancements

So you're already halfway there, really. Best of all, you don't have to change anything about your current build! Also good to get is the Heighten metamagic feat, and a little Enchantment Spell Focus won't hurt you, and Maximize (and some lightning/cold enhancements) is great for things you can't instantly kill.

[SlowDM]

Its a god job i didn't post stats of my previous characters you would all still be laughing. So before i spend many more hours playing, I'm going to roll a new character, half elf of course. I've tried warforged and i did enjoy its self heal but i just couldn't stand seeing the robot running around soz. I've also tried a few arti's but again they are not for me.
I just want to be able to try to find and disable traps unlock doors.
So i'll try a rogue (not tried it yet) for 1-3 levels before going wizard.
As for the character i posted, he is staying. I will just have a deeper look at it. Afterall Alither is the character i enjoy the best and most of all dies dramactically less than the others. Solo 29 hard bravery streak and he's died less than 6 times.

thanks all
SlowDM
i'm stuck in the past. i still dm about 6 times a year old 2nd edition d+d. So for me the 'feel' of the charcter is just as important as stats. The dragonmark will be picked again because it looks fantastic on toon lol

[Drekisen]

Just be aware the MC'ing a caster build can cost you greatly at end game. You will be sacrificing spell slots, spell pen, possibly spell DC, capstone, and spell points.

The game is getting to a point where casters really have to be on top of there casting abilities for high end content.

Not saying you can't have a great MC toon you will enjoy, just know the sacrifice will come at the expense of casting.

[morticianjohn]

2 levels of rogue (evasion) works very well in conjunction with insightful reflexes on a wizard. 2 levels is enough to get a decent score in spot, search, and disable. Skip open lock and use the knock spell.

[zex95966]

your hp is really low even for a level 4 character.

try to get toughness at lvl 1 or 3. with the enhancements, you will substantially increase your hp. 6 times dying in a quest is a lot - heck I give up anytime I die more than twice.
and I don't have grand equipment... at level 4 I'm carrying the flaming weapons they give me and whatever else I get naturally. you can get by with that stuff till level 10ish - by then i'm sure you'd find something to replace it.

your mark of storm feat is really not useful - spell focus enchant to land holds and charms or maximize to double your spell damage would help you a lot more - insightful reflexes will make those fireballs not as much of a threat too.

you can definitely splash 1 or 2 rogue levels for traps. most splash 2 for evasion - more than that, and your hurting your spellcasting with little to no benefit for your character - if your doing it for skill points you need to plan your character better - you can max out all your trap skills and caster and even add UMD skills with only 1 level of rogue.

You totally don't have to listen to the people here - were not laughing at you, were trying to help you.