The Danger Mouse (A build by request)

[sigtrent]

From Sigtrent's Build Request Thread

Build Nameanger Mouse
Author: Sigfried Trent
Requester: VonBek
Last Updated: 07/06/10

Key Words [Halfling, DragonMarks, Tempest, TWF, Solo]

Objectives
The request was for a 28pt dex based halfling fighter using the dragonmarks that can solo or play in groups effectively. Playing on dex is pretty natural for halfling builds and pairing that with a dex class helps justify finesse. On the other hand if you are going dex you want to make sure you have a decent AC. And of course with the healing marks its best if you can bump them up somehow.

The original build was primarily fighter, dipping into ranger for free feats and wizard for the same. This build takes a different tac.

Design
This time around I’m taking ranger as the primary class, both for the feats but also because it has healing boosts for the dragonmarks and bonuses to AC. Fighter is a secondary class to give me the feats I need to balance those spent on the dragon marks and I’ve manage to slurp some AC out of stalwart defender. Rogue rounds out the build, primarily to give me decent skills to spend my fairly robust skill points on. Without it you end up looking at taking things like swim before long.

Since this is 28pts, I took monk off the table, otherwise this would be much more like Exploiter. As it is, feats are tight here and some interesting sacrifices were needed. Dex based led me to a more defense focus so CE and Dodge were key. Tempest was also important and that eats more feats. What I end up forgoing is any improved critical feats which means this build wants to collect keen weapons or Mineral II greensteel.

The order you quire things is odd here as well. I take fighter early to pick up key feats that have the biggest build impact early on and still get the dragonmarks ASAP. Its not until quite late you have the feats for Tempest and you get Defender at the same time. Level 18 is pretty exciting as a result.

Thanks to the int needed for CE you have full rogue skills, although they level up somewhat unevenly. You also get full UMD although without a lot of charisma support it will take a while to be useful.

For a new player, this is a challenging build but its also one you could later greater reincarnate into an exploiter like build after you decide you like the game while giving you most of its benefits without any cash cost.

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

Level 20 True Neutral Halfling Male
(6 Fighter \ 2 Rogue \ 12 Ranger) 
Hit Points: 290
Spell Points: 135 
BAB: 19\19\24\29\29
Fortitude: 16
Reflex: 22
Will: 7

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
Abilities        Base Stats          Modified Stats
(28 Point)       (Level 1)             (Level 20)
Strength             13                    15
Dexterity            16                    26
Constitution         14                    14
Intelligence         14                    14
Wisdom               10                    10
Charisma              8                     8

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
                 Base Skills         Modified Skills
Skills           (Level 1)            (Level 20)
Balance               7                    12
Bluff                -1                     0
Concentration         2                     2
Diplomacy            -1                    -1
Disable Device        6                    26
Haggle                0                     0
Heal                  1                     3
Hide                  6                    13
Intimidate           -1                     3
Jump                  5                    12
Listen                0                     2
Move Silently         7                    14
Open Lock             7                    20
Perform              n/a                   n/a
Repair                3                     3
Search                6                    26
Spot                  4                    23
Swim                  1                     2
Tumble                4                     9
Use Magic Device      3                    22

Level 1 (Rogue)
Skill: Balance (+4)
Skill: Disable Device (+4)
Skill: Haggle (+1)
Skill: Heal (+1)
Skill: Hide (+3)
Skill: Jump (+4)
Skill: Move Silently (+4)
Skill: Open Lock (+4)
Skill: Repair (+1)
Skill: Search (+4)
Skill: Spot (+4)
Skill: Tumble (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+4)
Feat: (Selected) Least Dragonmark of Healing
Enhancement: Rogue Skill Boost I
Enhancement: Rogue Sneak Attack Training I
Enhancement: Rogue Disable Device I
Enhancement: Rogue Open Lock I


Level 2 (Fighter)
Skill: Disable Device (+1)
Skill: Search (+1)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Weapon Finesse
Enhancement: Fighter Armor Class Boost I
Enhancement: Extra Dragonmark Use I
Enhancement: Fighter Intimidate I
Enhancement: Rogue Search I


Level 3 (Fighter)
Skill: Disable Device (+1)
Skill: Search (+1)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Combat Expertise
Feat: (Selected) Power Attack
Enhancement: Halfling Dexterity I
Enhancement: Fighter Strength I


Level 4 (Ranger)
Ability Raise: DEX
Skill: Disable Device (+1)
Skill: Open Lock (+1)
Skill: Search (+1)
Skill: Spot (+3)
Feat: (Favored Enemy) Favored Enemy: Undead
Enhancement: Ranger Energy Resistence Boost I
Enhancement: Ranger Sprint Boost I
Enhancement: Ranger Favored Damage I
Enhancement: Ranger Favored Defense I


Level 5 (Ranger)
Skill: Disable Device (+1)
Skill: Open Lock (+2)
Skill: Search (+1)
Skill: Spot (+1)
Enhancement: Ranger Devotion I
Enhancement: Ranger Dexterity I


Level 6 (Ranger)
Skill: Disable Device (+1)
Skill: Open Lock (+2)
Skill: Search (+1)
Skill: Spot (+1)
Feat: (Selected) Lesser Dragonmark of Healing
Enhancement: Extra Dragonmark Use II


Level 7 (Ranger)
Skill: Disable Device (+1)
Skill: Open Lock (+1)
Skill: Search (+1)
Skill: Spot (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)
Enhancement: Halfling Cunning I
Enhancement: Halfling Guile I
Enhancement: Ranger Devotion II
Enhancement: Ranger Energy of the Wild I


Level 8 (Ranger)
Ability Raise: DEX
Skill: Disable Device (+1)
Skill: Search (+1)
Skill: Spot (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+2)
Feat: (Favored Enemy) Favored Enemy: Giant
Enhancement: Halfling Dexterity II
Enhancement: Ranger Favored Damage II


Level 9 (Ranger)
Skill: Disable Device (+1)
Skill: Search (+1)
Skill: Spot (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+2)
Feat: (Selected) Greater Dragonmark of Healing
Enhancement: Ranger Dexterity II


Level 10 (Ranger)
Skill: Disable Device (+1)
Skill: Search (+1)
Skill: Spot (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+2)
Enhancement: Ranger Devotion III


Level 11 (Ranger)
Skill: Disable Device (+1)
Skill: Search (+1)
Skill: Spot (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+2)
Enhancement: Extra Dragonmark Use III


Level 12 (Ranger)
Ability Raise: DEX
Skill: Disable Device (+1)
Skill: Search (+1)
Skill: Spot (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+2)
Feat: (Selected) Toughness
Enhancement: Racial Toughness I
Enhancement: Racial Toughness II
Enhancement: Fighter Toughness I


Level 13 (Ranger)
Skill: Disable Device (+1)
Skill: Jump (+2)
Skill: Search (+1)
Skill: Spot (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)
Feat: (Favored Enemy) Favored Enemy: Evil Outsider
Enhancement: Ranger Dexterity III


Level 14 (Ranger)
Skill: Disable Device (+1)
Skill: Jump (+2)
Skill: Search (+1)
Skill: Spot (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)
Enhancement: Extra Dragonmark Use IV


Level 15 (Fighter)
Skill: Disable Device (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)
Feat: (Selected) Dodge
Enhancement: Ranger Devotion IV


Level 16 (Fighter)
Ability Raise: DEX
Skill: Disable Device (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Mobility
Enhancement: Fighter Intimidate II
Enhancement: Fighter Toughness II


Level 17 (Fighter)
Skill: Disable Device (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)


Level 18 (Fighter)
Skill: Search (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)
Feat: (Selected) Spring Attack
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Two Weapon Defense
Enhancement: Fighter Stalwart Defender I
Enhancement: Ranger Tempest I


Level 19 (Ranger)
Skill: Search (+4)
Skill: Spot (+2)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)
Enhancement: Ranger Tempest II


Level 20 (Rogue)
Ability Raise: DEX
Skill: Disable Device (+3)
Skill: Open Lock (+1)
Skill: Search (+1)
Skill: Spot (+4)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)
Enhancement: Fighter Strength II

Play
While it can self heal pretty well, it still takes some skill to play this character since you have a limited amount of healing. Knowing when to go with AC/Combat Exptertise and when to go with DPS/Power Attack is important to figure out and it mostly comes down to: Is my AC protecting me effectively in this quest?

When solo you will want to take advantage of your ranged skills as anything you kill ranged will not do much damage to you. Up close you are not a DPS powerhouse so take a long term approach to combat, using mobility to avoid attacks and whittling down foes. Weapons with kill or disable effects are often better for you than pure DPS.

In a group you play a bit different and want to focus on DPS as much as possible, get into flanking position and take advantage of your extra sneak attack damage and accuracy. You may find your heals better spent on others rather than saved for yourself. You are also good at pulling and scouting and of course can do traps for the party.

Variations
If you have 32pts and Monk you can make what is essentially a better version of this, cranking up Wis a bit and getting additional AC and another free feat. It will mean you can’t top off rogue skills at the end of the build so you would likely end with ranger rather than fighter or monk just to get what you can out of that.