The Dark Musketeer (A build by request)

[sigtrent]

From Sigtrent's Build Request Thread

Build Name: Dark Musketeer
Author: Sigfried Trent
Requester: Wolf Spirit
Last Updated: 07/13/10

Key Words [Stalwart Defender, Evasion, Drow]

Objectives
The original request was for a finesse based TWF rapeir wielding drow fighter for comparison against a kopesh wielding TWF drow fighter. I can say the comparison is the Kopesh fighter if similar will do more damage. That said, for the re-work I wanted to figure out how to make the finese base make good build sense on a class based on strength.

Design
What I came up with is that the finesse base and dex focus would leverage into naked AC, which makes for a good evasion tank. Most defenders are armored and take advantage of the armor mastery, but its expensive and denies you evasion. If we combine monk with fighter we get a potent AC mix and access to enough feats to make dps respectable while obtaining a tankable AC without a shield.

The results, I think are pretty solid. Intimidate is very strong. Hit points are excellent for a drow build and plenty decent for an intim tank when in stance. AC with no gear at all is 41, easily self buffs into the 60s and raid buffs up to the 70s or low 80s. Saves are very solid and evasion should be in the fail on a 1 zone with standard gear/buffs. I even threw in spell resistance for that extra layer of defense.

On the offense side of things you do very solid damage with rapiers, especially if you go with power attack on. Its probably second tier being about 10pts shy on strength vs DPS builds but accuracy is on par with most. You can go fists if you need blunt damage or stunning effects thanks to monk but DPS will suffer.

Character Plan by DDO Character Planner Version 3.5.1
DDO Character Planner Home Page

Level 20 Lawful Good Drow Male
(18 Fighter \ 2 Monk) 
Hit Points: 350
Spell Points: 0 
BAB: 19\19\24\29\29
Fortitude: 16
Reflex: 17
Will: 11

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
Abilities        Base Stats          Modified Stats
(28 Point)       (Level 1)             (Level 20)
Strength             14                    18
Dexterity            18                    27
Constitution         12                    14
Intelligence         12                    14
Wisdom               12                    15
Charisma             10                    12

Tomes Used
+2 Tome of Strength used at level 7
+2 Tome of Dexterity used at level 7
+2 Tome of Constitution used at level 7
+2 Tome of Intelligence used at level 7
+2 Tome of Wisdom used at level 7
+2 Tome of Charisma used at level 7

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
                 Base Skills         Modified Skills
Skills           (Level 1)            (Level 20)
Balance               8                    18
Bluff                 0                     1
Concentration         5                    25
Diplomacy             0                     1
Disable Device        n/a                   n/a
Haggle                0                     1
Heal                  1                     2
Hide                  4                     8
Intimidate            2                    38
Jump                  6                    11
Listen                1                     4
Move Silently         4                     8
Open Lock             n/a                   n/a
Perform               n/a                   n/a
Repair                1                     2
Search                1                     4
Spot                  4                     7
Swim                  2                     4
Tumble                5                     9
Use Magic Device      n/a                   n/a

Level 1 (Monk)
Feat: (Selected) Toughness
Feat: (Monk Bonus) Two Weapon Fighting
Enhancement: Drow Melee Damage I


Level 2 (Fighter)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Oversized Two Weapon Fighting
Enhancement: Fighter Armor Class Boost I
Enhancement: Fighter Haste Boost I
Enhancement: Improved Spell Resistance I
Enhancement: Fighter Intimidate I
Enhancement: Fighter Toughness I


Level 3 (Monk)
Feat: (Monk Bonus) Power Attack
Feat: (Selected) Weapon Finesse
Enhancement: Elven Dexterity I
Enhancement: Racial Toughness I
Enhancement: Monk Wisdom I


Level 4 (Fighter)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Weapon Focus: Piercing Weapons
Enhancement: Fighter Item Defense I
Enhancement: Way of the Tenacious Badger I
Enhancement: Fighter Strength I


Level 5 (Fighter)
Enhancement: Drow Melee Attack I


Level 6 (Fighter)
Feat: (Selected) Dodge
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Weapon Specialization: Piercing Weapons
Enhancement: Fighter Haste Boost II
Enhancement: Racial Toughness II
Enhancement: Fighter Intimidate II


Level 7 (Fighter)
Enhancement: Drow Melee Damage II


Level 8 (Fighter)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Combat Expertise
Enhancement: Fighter Stalwart Defender I


Level 9 (Fighter)
Feat: (Selected) Improved Critical: Piercing Weapons
Enhancement: Elven Dexterity II


Level 10 (Fighter)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Improved Two Weapon Fighting
Enhancement: Fighter Rapier Specialization I
Enhancement: Fighter Intimidate III


Level 11 (Fighter)
Enhancement: Fighter Strength II


Level 12 (Fighter)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Greater Two Weapon Fighting
Feat: (Selected) Two Weapon Defense
Enhancement: Fighter Armor Class Boost II
Enhancement: Fighter Toughness II


Level 13 (Fighter)
Enhancement: Fighter Haste Boost III


Level 14 (Fighter)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Greater Weapon Specialization: Piercing Weapons
Enhancement: Fighter Stalwart Defender II
Enhancement: Fighter Toughness III


Level 15 (Fighter)
Feat: (Selected) Toughness
Enhancement: Fighter Haste Boost IV


Level 16 (Fighter)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Greater Weapon Focus: Piercing Weapons
Enhancement: Improved Spell Resistance II
Enhancement: Fighter Item Defense II


Level 17 (Fighter)
Enhancement: Fighter Armor Class Boost III


Level 18 (Fighter)
Feat: (Selected) Skill Focus: Intimidate
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Superior Weapon Focus: Piercing Weapons
Enhancement: Fighter Intimidate IV


Level 19 (Fighter)
Enhancement: Improved Spell Resistance III


Level 20 (Fighter)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Shield Mastery
Enhancement: Improved Spell Resistance IV
Enhancement: Fighter Stalwart Defender III

Play
One of the great things here is you can tank buck naked “for the ladies.” It will take a while for the defenses to layer up but the build starts pretty strong and steadily progresses in both defense and offense. The defensive stance is mostly good when taking on bosses or hordes of foes in a doorway or such.

Keep in mind you have absolutely no self healing. This is not really a solo build although it can solo fine at lower levels due to combat prowess. Un-dodgable, un-savable spell damage can chew up any tank and requires a healer on tap or an all out assault on those capeable of doing this to you.

Variations
This was built with tomes in mind. Going without means some unpleasant sacrifices on stats that are already spread a bit thin. Other than that I can’t think of a lot of changes you could make and keep the character and synergy of the build together.

[WolfSpirit]

Everything looks good.
One Question:
With Two Weapon Fighting is light armor needed?

[~Eilka]

What would the next two levels be, now that the level cap has raised?

[VonBek]

Everything looks good.
One Question:
With Two Weapon Fighting is light armor needed?

TWF does not depend on light armor. Generally, ight armor lets the player apply more of the character's dex bonus to AC, and tends to have a lower penalty on skill checks. As well, some classes require light armor or class feats and skills may not apply.

[ShadowFox1978]

What would the next two levels be, now that the level cap has raised?

Not to speak for Sig, but I would think one more fighter and one more Paladin. 12 Fighter gives you greater specialization and you can pick up oversized TWF. Extra pally gives you a little casting(Virtue or DF).

[~Eilka]

Do you think a lvl of Barb would work? I would love having +10% movement and rage

[sigtrent]

I was asked to do the build out to 16 which I'll do.

I'll have to consider the options. You can't go with barbarian due to alightment restrictions. The choices are really, fighter, paladin, ranger and rogue.

Ranger would give you some bow use which might be nice and eventualy you could go ranger 6 and take tempest. That may be the best all around option although at 16 it wouldn't be adding a lot, at 18 and 20 it would shine.

Paladin could get you into divine favor eventualy, but I don't think its quite worth it as he wasn't set up as much of a caster so I don't think there is much to be gained there.

Fighter is adding feats, but this build has most of what it really needs feat wise so this is more something to fill in the gaps. now if they do prestige feats for fighter at 6 and 12, going to fighter 12 may be a good plan.

Rogue would net you evasion whcih is pretty great stuff and possibly a good bit of UMD as well. That is also pretty attractive and gives you a lot for those 2 levels. Normaly you would plan that from the start and take rogue at 1, but evasion is good none the less. Going to 20 you would probably look to Fighter 14 Rogue 3 Paladin 3

[EKKM]

Do you think a lvl of Barb would work? I would love having +10% movement and rage

You cant multiclass a paladin and a barbarian as pally requires a lawful good alignment and barbs cannot be Lawful.

[kurglar]

could you update this for U5 and get it to lv 20? it sounds just what i've been looking for but i'm new and the premade tempest ranger is kinda not what i had hoped.

[sigtrent]

Good timing on the update request gives me an excuse to bump this one with an update. I am pretty happy with how this turned out. I think its a good and unusual TWF true tank.

[Kaelain]

If you were going to use a heavier damage weapon with this build, what would you choose? I'm still very new and having trouble finding what I am looking for on all these boards.

[unbongwah]

Rapiers is as good as it gets on a Finesse build, unless you wanted to use handwraps instead, but that would be a very different build, IMHO. You want better DPS, you go STR-based w/khopeshes, usually.