Mission Impossible (A build by request)

[sigtrent]

From Sigtrent's Build Request Thread

Build Name: Mission Impossible
Author: Sigfried Trent
Requester:Nick_robinsonchia
Last Updated: 05/28/10

Key Words [Warforged, Tank, Intimidate, Wizard, UMD]

Objectives
This was a really challenging request made partly just to be difficult. The requester wanted a high AC warforged tank which could self buff with arcane defense spells. There were many specifics: Full UMD, 50+AC (well say 60 in our current era), Kopesh wielding, Displacement, Haste, Stoneskin, Good Saves, solid hit points, has a pet, full intimidate, and best of all... must use adamantine body.

Design
Back in the 14 level cap days, the requester made a Pally/Fighter/Sorcerer, I made a Bard, Fighter, Sorcerer. We both hit some of the targets but both builds were also pretty flawed. In re-visiting it now, there are many more tools and I decided that saves would take a small hit in favor of better core casting and tanking. Wizard and Fighter mix to give us the feats we need and rogue supplies the UMD skill.

Arcane failure is an issue on this build. Adamantine comes with 35% failure. The enhancement line can drop that by 10% and items can take that down another 10-15% (I'm not all that up on the WF docents focused on arcane failure reduction). And tower shields.. 40-50% and few ways to reduce it further. The shield can be swapped out but while tanking thats not so great. Some spells don't have a somatic component and can be cast without failure such as displacement, but the other requested spells and repair are going to be hard to cast while turtled up. While solo a 0% ASF shield is recommended.

On the spell side of things we have decent self healing, a modest firewall, and the requested buffs, plus a few nice utility spells. Mana isn't vast but its enough to keep the buffs goin and occasionally heal up. Trying to consistently get damage from firewall will deplete mana quickly. Quicken is essential for a tank caster and helps a failed spell cast be a bit less painful. Extend is needed to get meaningful duration out of the self buffs.

Damage wise this build is far better than the original. Thanks to the changes in enhancements and the extra levels this build can get a decent BAB and damage per hit level going. not enough to hate tank, but plenty for solo play or to help take down a mob. Still, this is not a DPS build by any stretch of the imagination.

Overall, not a good build, but I think this meets the challenge pretty well, even though its much easier to do these days that it was when requested.

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

Level 20 True Neutral Warforged Male
(12 Fighter \ 1 Rogue \ 7 Wizard) 
Hit Points: 316
Spell Points: 379 
BAB: 15\15\20\25\25
Fortitude: 14
Reflex: 10
Will: 8

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
Abilities        Base Stats          Modified Stats
(32 Point)       (Level 1)             (Level 20)
Strength             16                    24
Dexterity            12                    14
Constitution         16                    19
Intelligence         14                    18
Wisdom                6                     8
Charisma             12                    14

Tomes Used
+1 Tome of Intelligence used at level 3
+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               5                     7
Bluff                 1                     2
Concentration         3                     4
Diplomacy             1                     2
Disable Device        n/a                   n/a
Haggle                5                     6
Heal                 -2                    -1
Hide                  5                     1
Intimidate            5                    34
Jump                  7                    19
Listen               -2                    -1
Move Silently         5                     1
Open Lock             5                     6
Perform               n/a                   n/a
Repair                6                    10
Search                2                     4
Spot                 -2                    -1
Swim                  3                    -3
Tumble                5                     1
Use Magic Device      5                    25

Level 1 (Rogue)
Skill: Balance (+4)
Skill: Haggle (+4)
Skill: Hide (+4)
Skill: Intimidate (+4)
Skill: Jump (+4)
Skill: Move Silently (+4)
Skill: Open Lock (+4)
Skill: Repair (+4)
Skill: Tumble (+4)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+4)
Feat: (Selected) Adamantine Body
Enhancement: Rogue Skill Boost I
Enhancement: Rogue Sneak Attack Training I
Enhancement: Warforged Construct Thinking I
Enhancement: Warforged Mechanics I


Level 2 (Fighter)
Skill: Intimidate (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Exotic Weapon Proficiency: Khopesh


Level 3 (Fighter)
Skill: Intimidate (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Combat Expertise
Feat: (Selected) Toughness
Enhancement: Fighter Armor Class Boost I
Enhancement: Fighter Item Defense I
Enhancement: Fighter Intimidate I
Enhancement: Fighter Strength I
Enhancement: Fighter Toughness I
Enhancement: Warforged Constitution I


Level 4 (Wizard)
Ability Raise: STR
Skill: Intimidate (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)
Feat: (Wizard Bonus) Quicken Spell
Enhancement: Racial Toughness I
Enhancement: Wizard Force Manipulation I
Enhancement: Wizard Energy of the Scholar I
Enhancement: Warforged Inscribed Armor I


Level 5 (Wizard)
Skill: Intimidate (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)
Enhancement: Wizard Intelligence I
Enhancement: Wizard Wand Mastery I


Level 6 (Wizard)
Skill: Intimidate (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)
Feat: (Selected) Extend Spell
Enhancement: Warforged Inscribed Armor II
Enhancement: Warforged Mechanics II


Level 7 (Wizard)
Skill: Intimidate (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)
Enhancement: Iron Companion
Enhancement: Wizard Force Manipulation II


Level 8 (Wizard)
Ability Raise: INT
Skill: Balance (+0.5)
Skill: Intimidate (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)
Feat: (Wizard Bonus) Maximize Spell
Enhancement: Mithral Companion
Enhancement: Steel Companion


Level 9 (Wizard)
Skill: Balance (+0.5)
Skill: Intimidate (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)
Feat: (Selected) Shield Mastery
Enhancement: Wizard Elemental Manipulation I
Enhancement: Wizard Elemental Manipulation II


Level 10 (Wizard)
Skill: Balance (+0.5)
Skill: Intimidate (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)
Enhancement: Wizard Lineage of Elements I
Enhancement: Wizard Lineage of Force I
Enhancement: Wizard Force Manipulation III


Level 11 (Fighter)
Skill: Balance (+0.5)
Skill: Intimidate (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)
Enhancement: Fighter Haste Boost I
Enhancement: Warforged Inscribed Armor III


Level 12 (Fighter)
Ability Raise: STR
Skill: Balance (+0.5)
Skill: Intimidate (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Dodge
Feat: (Selected) Weapon Focus: Slashing Weapons
Enhancement: Fighter Armor Mastery I
Enhancement: Adamantine Companion


Level 13 (Fighter)
Skill: Balance (+0.5)
Skill: Intimidate (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)
Enhancement: Fighter Intimidate II
Enhancement: Fighter Toughness II


Level 14 (Fighter)
Skill: Balance (+0.5)
Skill: Intimidate (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Improved Critical: Slashing Weapons
Enhancement: Fighter Stalwart Defender I


Level 15 (Fighter)
Skill: Balance (+0.5)
Skill: Intimidate (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)
Feat: (Selected) Improved Shield Mastery
Enhancement: Fighter Armor Mastery II


Level 16 (Fighter)
Ability Raise: STR
Skill: Balance (+0.5)
Skill: Intimidate (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Weapon Specialization: Slashing Weapons
Enhancement: Fighter Khopesh Specialization I
Enhancement: Wizard Elemental Manipulation III


Level 17 (Fighter)
Skill: Balance (+1)
Skill: Intimidate (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)
Enhancement: Fighter Armor Class Boost II
Enhancement: Fighter Haste Boost II


Level 18 (Fighter)
Skill: Balance (+0.5)
Skill: Intimidate (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Greater Weapon Focus: Slashing Weapons
Feat: (Selected) Skill Focus: Intimidate
Enhancement: Fighter Strength II


Level 19 (Fighter)
Skill: Intimidate (+1)
Skill: Jump (+2)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)
Enhancement: Wizard Lineage of Elements II
Enhancement: Wizard Lineage of Force II


Level 20 (Fighter)
Ability Raise: STR
Skill: Intimidate (+1)
Skill: Jump (+2)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Greater Weapon Specialization: Slashing Weapons
Enhancement: Fighter Stalwart Defender II
Enhancement: Racial Toughness II
Enhancement: Wizard Lineage of Deadly Elements I

Play
One interesting thing here is you can use the fire walls as an interesting agro generator. Not only can you simply stand in one, but you can pre-lay them in a room, say at the entrance or spawn location, then you can pick a different location to tank from. Entering creatures will agro on you then head in your direction where you can intim them to keep control and sit in yet another fire wall.

To work well this build requires lots of exotic gear (as most tanks do) and having a good group to treasure hunt with is a good idea. While you can solo this pretty well, its not going to solo many raids or the like.

Variations
Not taking adamantine body would be the first change to make! From there you work your way to more "traditional" WF healing caster builds.

[Aspenor]

what the heck is with the tumble? that's an important item slot out the window

[Slayer918]

Aspenor... thats Aussies for you...

[sigtrent]

what the heck is with the tumble? that's an important item slot out the window

, just something he had in his build that I carried over. Why? I've no idea but tumbling is kind of amusing. He has iron defender in his build because he wanted a pet so I put in the hell hound summon. They wern't in the official request. This is the only build I did where I actualy specified items, mostly because they were essential to meeting the build marks and he had items listed on the original.

I'm not too sure what you would want in the boot slot anyhow. Madstone cuts off your spell casting, don't especialy need more dex, striding is nice but not nessesary, feather fall is decent but its something you could swap in and out. On the one character I have with tumble boots I just swap them on when I want to do the backflips and generaly run around in dex boots, but like this build the dex boots arn't really important to the character, just a way to up my reflex save a little.

[Aspenor]

Would the DR from say, the Golden Greaves stack with your warforged stuff? I'm not experienced with DR warforged at all, but I do know DR won't stack in most cases.

[sigtrent]

Would the DR from say, the Golden Greaves stack with your warforged stuff? I'm not experienced with DR warforged at all, but I do know DR won't stack in most cases.

Not really. They are both there, and the boots have DR/3- so they would work if someone had an adamantine weapon (which bypasses WF DR and Stoneskin DR) But the onle DR that actualy stacks is blocking DR and passive DR. It's kind of a confusing system.

[demtutor]

I am looking to reincarnate a L20 spellsinger bard ... and this build looks to take advantage of the bardic past life feats as well as some of the equipment I already have (Greensteel goggles with SP and +6 CHR skills).

If I want to maximize the AC, intimidate, UMD aspects of this build while taking it to 20 ... any suggestions on what the level make-up should be for 15-20?

I'm familiar with the +/- of the bard levels (no matter what I won't get the AC song given at L15 bard), but I'm not sure the benefits of going all the way fighter (L6 fighter gets Kensei I). Is it worth it to go 10 fighter, 8 bard, 2 sorc? Seems like a pretty "loose" build.