have i already gimped myself?

[HardRobble]

I stopped playing about 3 years ago and just recently started back up (forgetting pretty much everything I knew). Decided I wanted to make a trap monkey since those are usually pretty desired in a group. He's still only at lvl 3. I was thinking that I also wanted a good UMD and bow skills.

I just remembered about the forums today and realized that 'trap monkey' isn't really a specialization anymore. it seems rogues are more focused on specific dps versions.

Anyway, I made a 32 point build, with high dex and int. also put some into wis and chr. got con to 10 and left str at 8. I also chose race elf, and forgot to pick an alignment so i'm lawful good.

Is there any specific build I can shoot for with what I've chosen? Should I use the Lesser Heart of Wood that was automatically in my inventory when i created the character?

[ReaperAlexEU]

the trap side of things is mostly handled by max ranks, gear and buffs. so there are very little build choices that go into trapping beyond skill points and the odd enhancement here and there which is normally padding anyway. this is why most build choices are all about how you're gonna kill things

important buffs early on are foxes cunning (+4 INT until you get a better item) and heroism. i like necking a pot of each if i'm in an at level elite and my search has just failed. also trapping items are well worth gathering, slightly tricky these days as the AH doesn't seem to be well populated, but a rule of thumb is to look into upgrades every odd level.

UMD is as always a great ability, but that too is now easy to get working with little investment. i have just CHA items on my rogue and can punch way past heal scrolls. for me resurrection scrolls (50% hp after res compared to 10% from raise dead) are easy to use, so i haven't needed to pump many points into CHA. one thing you're probably missing is the fact we get +8 to all skills in the 8 epic levels (they are not class levels, they are kinda their own class). that is 2 ranks worth of spell level just for hitting cap (with another 2 to come by the end of this year)!

a bow has little synergy with rogues, but the mechanic tree will eventually give you access to both repeaters and allow you to add your INT to damage. DEX can be used in melee from the assassin tree with daggers or kukris with no feat investment, or staves on the acrobat tree. INT can be further used in the assassin tree with the insta-kill assassination ability (and measure the foe for up to +5 DC if you wait 10 seconds in stealth).

so as for the lesser reincarnation, that depends a lot on the feats you took. i'd also want more CON, i had 12 on my first life and decided to true reincarnate to be able to bump that up to 14.

if you really want bows with some traps then maybe a ranger with 1 to 2 levels of rogue would better suit your playstyle. as mentioned it takes very little build investment to make trap skills work, and rangers share some skills with the rogue making the few cross class skills easier to maintain. if however it's not about the bow but about the ranged combat then the light and heavy repeating xbow work well in a rogue. my lvl28 rogue is a mix of assassin for sneak attack damage and insta kill and mechanic for ranged damage. i drop into sneak and whip out a dagger for the assassinate then pull my repeater out to kill the rest of the mobs. if this is of interest to you then i'll happily share my build.

[HardRobble]

Thanks for the reply. It sounds like I may not have gimped myself much if I go the assassin route. I still have the lesser heart if I have to use it later.

A far as bows, I'm more interested in the range so crossbows are fine with me. Especially the repeating ones.

How about the part about being a lawful good elf? Is that going to bite me in the okole come end game?

[bruener]

How about the part about being a lawful good elf? Is that going to bite me in the okole come end game?

i dont know what an okole is but i think its safe. personally i like human, drow or halflings, in that order for assassins. but my second life rogue was elf(because i lr'd her from ranger/fighter) and she did just fine. just keep lvl ups in Int and get dex as high as you can. dex to damge now so thats great. traps are easy with a high int and all the skill points to max ranks. UMD is always a good idea. you will be thankful later.

there are plenty of assassin builds on the forums to check out. also lr wont allow you to change your alignment or race anyway. the DDO store can change your alignment for a price of course but lawful Good is fine. eventually your umd will be high enough that your alignment and race wont matter as a restriction.

deleras has a nice little end reward that gives you 3 UMD at lvl 7 and an augment slot but I wouldnt pick that if you havent got your voice of the master yet.

[ReaperAlexEU]

deleras has a nice little end reward that gives you 3 UMD at lvl 7 and an augment slot but I wouldnt pick that if you havent got your voice of the master yet.

gotta contradict you there, the voice is a static drop, it's guaranteed to be there every time you complete the chain. so i'd pick anything other than the voice if it's of use then take the voice when nothing else of interest shows up. it can be frustrating to see an item on your first run then it not be there several runs later making you wish you'd picked it when you had the chance.

[kamimitsu]

bow skills.

There might be a 'slight' reason to at least consider bows over crossbow/mechanic. At level 10 or so, you'll have access to the Elf Enhancement 'grace' which allows you to use DEX for damage with your choice of bow (long/short). Pair that with the Assassin tree and you've got DEX to damage for almost everything. I'm not sure if it's worth it, when you can just go repeater (more shots, but less damage per shot). Might be neat, though.

[bruener]

gotta contradict you there, the voice is a static drop, it's guaranteed to be there every time you complete the chain. so i'd pick anything other than the voice if it's of use then take the voice when nothing else of interest shows up. it can be frustrating to see an item on your first run then it not be there several runs later making you wish you'd picked it when you had the chance.

not a contradiction just a matter of preference. after over 7 yrs of that quest i would almost rather shove toothpicks under my finger nails than run it twice.

[Loromir]

gotta contradict you there, the voice is a static drop, it's guaranteed to be there every time you complete the chain. so i'd pick anything other than the voice if it's of use then take the voice when nothing else of interest shows up. it can be frustrating to see an item on your first run then it not be there several runs later making you wish you'd picked it when you had the chance.

i have to concur with you on this one.

My very first run though Deleras and Carnifex appears on the list. My guild leader at the time really pushed me to take VOM. I didn't listen to her and took Carnifex instead. i think it made her mad because the next time I logged on, she had booted me from the guild.

Anyway...4 years later and I have yet to see Carnifex in the reward list again, But have a VOM on every one of my 16 characters.