Back after a sort-of-long hiatus

[Kalker]

(I just wanted to apologize if you saw another similar post here last night. It was an accident. I was supposed to ask on this account.)

Hi everyone!

So as the title says, I just recently came back after a sort-of-long(?) hiatus. I checked the Wiki, since I don't remember when I left, and it seems I left before Update 16. So between Updates 15 and 16.

Anyway, there have been a lot of changes to the game, and I went through the DDOwiki's release notes for the updates. (Like the changes to the turning-in-collectables thing, the enhancements, experience, etc).

I brought up my hiatus, which is slightly irrelevant to my questions, to point out that it's been a while since I've played, and I have several questions about things that I'm not 100% sure about. And they don't involve the things I mentioned in the above parentheses. So basically, it's been about a year since I was last on. (Meaning my memory's a bit fuzzy, and I'm not so well-versed in the DDO numbers/terminology stuff.)

1) I have this Elven Ranger I made back then, and I got to level 4. Before I came back, I did a little bit of research in case I might have to remake my toon. So looking here (http://ddowiki.com/page/Ranger), I found out that the Ranger gets the "Diehard" feat at level 3. Now, I know (and I think I knew back then) that "Diehard" is useless later on, because when you go below 0 hp later on, it won't be above -10. It might be like -30 or something. Or maybe lower. Anyway, so Diehard's useless. Except I don't remember if I took it as a feat when I was creating my Ranger or not.
Basically, I don't know if I received Diehard as a class feat or if I hand-picked it myself during character creation.

Hypothetically, if I picked Diehard at level 1 (during character creation), and I'm supposed to get it at level 3, does this mean that I would get a free feat at level 3?
In other words, if a person picked a feat for his/her toon at a certain level (say some level x) when that toon would've gotten the feat as a class feat at level x + 3 (for example), what happens then? Did the person just waste a feat slot? Or does he/she get a free feat because he/she already has the "class feat" before the level?

So, along that line, are class feats the same as regular hand-picked feats when it comes to feat changes? What I mean is, are class feats also open for changing to more viable feats later on in the game? (Like Diehard, for example. Which I don't know if I was given or if I picked.)

And also, is there a way for me to differentiate (somehow?) between the ones I picked and class ones? Or am I just supposed to remember and take notes as I level up?

2) There are a few weird things involving some items I've seen around. So I own this Drow Hunter's Armor (http://ddowiki.com/page/Drow_Hunter%27s_Armor). I owned it before I hiatus-ed, so before Update 16. Anyway, I checked the AH for one, and the one on the AH is level 4 and is "Binds to Character on Equip". The one I have in my bank is level 6 and is NOT BTCOE.
Strangely enough, though, I've noticed that a lot more items I've seen are BTCOE. Like the Wraith's Skin armor (http://ddowiki.com/page/Wraith%27s_Skin), and a lot more stuff. But I don't know if it's the result of a change to named items or something, or if it's because I never noticed before I left.

Oh. And on a side-note, I saw this level 6 Silver Longbow in the AH, and when I Googled it, I only saw this level 8 one. Is the level 6 one sort of like my Drow's Hunter Armor? The level 6 one wasn't on the Wiki, nor was it mentioned in the forums.

Thank you everyone! I hope it wasn't too much of a wall of text or anything.
And I might ask more questions in the replies as they come up.

[stoerm]

Welcome back!

Did the person just waste a feat slot?

Yes

What I mean is, are class feats also open for changing to more viable feats later on in the game?

No

And also, is there a way for me to differentiate (somehow?) between the ones I picked and class ones?

Not that I know of

But I don't know if it's the result of a change to named items or something, or if it's because I never noticed before I left.

A lot of items have changed for better or worse. If yours is the same but unbound, count yourself lucky. Some old versions can be upgraded to new better stuff (Reaver's Fate raid gear for one) but not all.

[unbongwah]

2) There are a few weird things involving some items I've seen around. So I own this Drow Hunter's Armor (http://ddowiki.com/page/Drow_Hunter%27s_Armor). I owned it before I hiatus-ed, so before Update 16. Anyway, I checked the AH for one, and the one on the AH is level 4 and is "Binds to Character on Equip". The one I have in my bank is level 6 and is NOT BTCOE.

Several older items got "upgraded" in U17 to go along with the new augment system; most of the new versions became BtCoE. The original items no longer drop, but they're still in existence; your character has one of the pre-U17 versions. Curiously, the drow armor is one of the few which didn't get an augment slot in the overhaul. Pity: it's one of my favorite-looking armors, but at least they dropped the min lvl.

[Spoonwelder]

One way to tell if you took the feat versus it being a granted feat is to go to Fred (the Mindflayer in Jorasco). Although his list is sometimes buggy it generally will only show you selected feats that you can change. And then when selected only feats that you can change to AS IF you were taking them at the same level you originally took them (ie. cant swap in GTWF for Cleave that you took at level 3).

[Kalker]

It's so sad to hear that, stoerm. I hope I didn't mess up anywhere then.

And I'm glad to hear that unbongwah! So it seems that's the case with the Silver Longbow! I think I'd rather the non-BTCOE ones, even though they may lack the augment slot (in the case with both the old-Drow Hunter's Armor and the old-Silver Longbow), since I can move them to new toons later on.
Does this mean the non-BTCOE ones are super-rare or something now then?

[Kalker]

One way to tell if you took the feat versus it being a granted feat is to go to Fred (the Mindflayer in Jorasco). Although his list is sometimes buggy it generally will only show you selected feats that you can change. And then when selected only feats that you can change to AS IF you were taking them at the same level you originally took them (ie. cant swap in GTWF for Cleave that you took at level 3).

I THINK I understand your example with the Cleave for GTWF? Just to make sure. So GTWF is a higher-than-level-3 feat right? So you can't trade a level 3 feat for that?

And secondly, I just visited Fred. The feats I can change are (I'm level 6 right now):

2 Favored Enemies (Undead and Evil Outsider)
Least Dragonmark of Shadow
Point Blank Shot
Toughness

Does this mean that I got Toughness at level 1, Point Blank Shot at level 3, and the Dragonmark at level 6 (which I did yesterday)? Or it could be Toughness at level 3 and Point Blank Shot at level 1... But basically, I didn't mess up then?

Edit: And in spite of the enhancement changes and everything, Toughness is still retroactive right? And the hp stuff is still correct? Either way, is it still a useful feat now, even without the enhancements? Or should I change it to something else?

[Spoonwelder]

I THINK I understand your example with the Cleave for GTWF? Just to make sure. So GTWF is a higher-than-level-3 feat right? So you can't trade a level 3 feat for that?

And secondly, I just visited Fred. The feats I can change are (I'm level 6 right now):

2 Favored Enemies (Undead and Evil Outsider)
Least Dragonmark of Shadow
Point Blank Shot
Toughness

Does this mean that I got Toughness at level 1, Point Blank Shot at level 3, and the Dragonmark at level 6 (which I did yesterday)? Or it could be Toughness at level 3 and Point Blank Shot at level 1... But basically, I didn't mess up then?

Edit: And in spite of the enhancement changes and everything, Toughness is still retroactive right? And the hp stuff is still correct? Either way, is it still a useful feat now, even without the enhancements? Or should I change it to something else?

Yes - Greater TWF has a BAB requirement of 11 - so min level of 11. And thus you couldn't take it at level 3......ie. the feat swap system is just changing a choice you had available to you at the appropriate level.

Your PBS and Toughness are fine to take as you have them - though the new prevailing wisdom is that Toughness is not as necessary due to the fact that it is no longer a prereq on toughness enhancements. It can still be good but is now only 23hp bonus not 23hp plus a gate opener to 40-80 more HP. Personally I would change it but I have decent other HP gear (Greensteel, GFL items, con items, vitality items - totalling 125hp at level 20). You may feel the HP are useful and possibly you swap that out at a higher level to get another feat once you have all your gear in place.

Answering your other question on toughness, yes toughness is retroactive so you could take it at L20 and get the full 23 hp benefit.

[unbongwah]

Does this mean the non-BTCOE ones are super-rare or something now then?

Let's just say I've been hording all my old Silver Longbows, Muckbanes, etc. so I can keep passing them around my alts.