The Tempest Zealot

[maddmatt70]

I think you might be over valuing attacking even faster. I still think Ranger 18/X is probably better than Paladin 14/Ranger 6.

Even if you allow that the paladin variant would be 10% more DPS, and that really depends on what you are fighting (FE vs. Evil Outsiders) etc....the loss of evasion is huge.

In a lot of cases Evasion > 10% more DPS. Also a lot of the time it really wouldn't be 10% more DPS.

Also, it is possible you will see items with sacred/competence bonus of 5% or something.

The item thing would really diminish the build, if you could get something with a 5% competence bonus to attack speed (seems possible) then you really cut into the power of the build.

Seems kind of risky to me to depend on these two things stacking (and there never being any other way of getting those types of bonus).

Really all they have to do is change items already in the game to competence and you are reduced in power compared to just going more Paladin or Ranger. It is certainly not a bad combo given what we know, but this is one where you are WIDE OPEN to being reduced in power and the changes are not unreasonable or unlikely.

Personally I would go Paladin 18/Monk 2 or Ranger 18/Monk 1/Rogue 1 for a better end game TWF build.

Or if you want something off the wall...

http://forums.ddo.com/showthread.php?t=168761

I think the build concept of 14 paladin 6 ranger is solid. It is competitive with the two builds you refer to above. This build is an armor wearing build which could be good in the future if they give nice armor upgrades. It also has the paladin aura, nice saves, although of course not evasion, but it is competitive. It is not a 20 fighter build or something of that nature which isn't competitive.

[EinarMal]

I think the build concept of 14 paladin 6 ranger is solid. It is competitive with the two builds you refer to above. This build is an armor wearing build which could be good in the future if they give nice armor upgrades. It also has the paladin aura, nice saves, although of course not evasion, but it is competitive. It is not a 20 fighter build or something of that nature which isn't competitive.

I agree it is not bad at all, my personal preference would be Pally 18/Monk 2, but it would definitely work.

Yeah the current state of Fighters is not good I agree.

[Ilundel]

I think you might be over valuing attacking even faster. I still think Ranger 18/X is probably better than Paladin 14/Ranger 6.

Even if you allow that the paladin variant would be 10% more DPS, and that really depends on what you are fighting (FE vs. Evil Outsiders) etc....the loss of evasion is huge.

In a lot of cases Evasion > 10% more DPS. Also a lot of the time it really wouldn't be 10% more DPS.

Also, it is possible you will see items with sacred/competence bonus of 5% or something.

The item thing would really diminish the build, if you could get something with a 5% competence bonus to attack speed (seems possible) then you really cut into the power of the build.

Just wanted to say... Considering zeal is a Sacred bonus to attack speed, then a competence bonus item wouldn't hurt this build, it would most likely stack with it. Then again, it may not stack with tempest if they change the speed bonus to competence but that would hurt both pure rgr AND this build.. but yeah, if they put a sacred bonus item, then this would hurt this build in comparison to and 18rgr/2mnk build. Then again, if they put a ring of evasion into the game, you would then hit yourself on the head for not making this build over 18rgr/2mnk or 18pal/2mnk.

Basically, this build with current items is solid (I wouldn't go dwarf and would spec for possible divine might 2 with tomes, but that's just me), as far as speculating on future potential item, that's like throwing a dart at a 2 inch board from 10 meters away with your eyes blindfolded. Any combination of items put in the game can favor or hinder any builds, so trying to restrict yourself for potential items is up to you.

In short, this build is really competitive with a ranger build IMHO from a DPS point of view, exalted smites, tempest ranger, divine sacrifices, divine favor, zeal, ram's might, divine might2, knight of the chalice 2 and 2 favored enemies for +7 damage each is... well.. insane on evil outsiders, especially over short periods of time.

[Uska]

Not to shabby and nice to see someone posting a build without heavy use of +2/+3 tomes.

[Emili]

i have a lvl 13 dual wielding Drow pally and I double ES crit for 200-240 on EACH HIT all the time. You just have to throw the exalted smite at the right time. It's like rogue assasinate but they don't a save, but I 1 shot elite end game mobs in quests all the time with it, people are like "WT-F?!"

What level of ES and DM is 13th lvl... Amy (very old 1st day drow pally, who is short of base dex by 1 for twf chain... hopefully will be corrected in near future;-) ... 28 str 26 cha with +5 Khopesh typicaly PA + DF + DM III + ES III yeilds smites of over 400+ on a ES push... I one shoted that named who drops the extra chest key in coal chamber the other day with a much higher smite purely surprising - that being without any real gear such as a bloodstone or rage'd, am pretty sure you'll be hitting that at level 16 plus dualing it.

[Ilundel]

What level of ES and DM is 13th lvl... Amy (very old 1st day drow pally, who is short of base dex by 1 for twf chain... hopefully will be corrected in near future;-) ... 28 str 26 cha with +5 Khopesh typicaly PA + DF + DM III + ES III yeilds 400+ on a ES push... I one shoted that named who drops the extra chest key in coal chamber the other day with a much higher smite purely surprising - that being without any real gear such as a bloodstone or rage'd, am pretty sure you'll be hitting that at level 16 plus dualing it.

Heck, my level 13 pally/3 rogue crits his smite evil with a khopesh for 380 damage on average... so by level 16 if your getting 200-240 per smite, then there's something pretty wrong, heck on a khopesh, you should at minimum get 300 damage on a critted smite evil if you have 10 str and no items..

[Inspire]

Heck, my level 13 pally/3 rogue crits his smite evil with a khopesh for 380 damage on average... so by level 16 if your getting 200-240 per smite, then there's something pretty wrong, heck on a khopesh, you should at minimum get 300 damage on a critted smite evil if you have 10 str and no items..

500-530 is my usual on Atlantean, but your right 240 seems kinda low even for a x2 critical weapon(unless dex based?).

[Emili]

Heck, my level 13 pally/3 rogue crits his smite evil with a khopesh for 380 damage on average... so by level 16 if your getting 200-240 per smite, then there's something pretty wrong, heck on a khopesh, you should at minimum get 300 damage on a critted smite evil if you have 10 str and no items..

I was replying to his... as I do not know what a 13th lvl pally gets... My 16 level as I said is consistantly over 400+ and I one shoted that named at the 1st portal in coal chamber for over for 1.5 that on hard the other day... on an extremely old first day of drow pally with 28str/26cha no special gear just pa + dm + es.

Oh yes, you should never make a 10 str any melee... just plain wrong to underpower damages in my opinion. The secret of smite is a equal or near equal str/cha balance.

[Ilundel]

I was replying to his... as I do not know what a 13th lvl pally gets... My 16 level as I said is consistantly over 400+ and I one shoted that named at the 1st portal in coal chamber for over for 1.5 that on hard the other day... on an extremely old first day of drow pally with 28str/26cha no special gear just pa + dm + es.

Oh yes, you should never make a 10 str any melee... just plain wrong to underpower damages in my opinion. The secret of smite is a equal or near equal str/cha balance.

Yeah I was emphasising your point really that at level 14 pally (which is going to be ES 3), you should easily get over 500 damage on crits with a khopesh, probably 400 damage on a x2 weapon - which you were pretty much alluding to by saying your old old pally with non twinked gear gets over 400 damage on crits. Not bashing your build or anything, I was actually more curious how the other guy got a 200-240 average on a level 13 pally when mine, without a bloodstone, at the same level, gets over 380 damage on a x3 weapon. on a x2 weapon you should get closer to 300 on crits rather then in the low 200. Then again, maybe he didn't take ES1 or ES2 (ES2 is the highest available at level 13)... which if he didn't, that's like throwing aside one of the reason why pallies are filling the gap there used to be in DPS.

[Balkas]

I for some reason thought ES III was at 15. I'll have to rearrange more enhancements, wheeeee.

[Mithran]

I know dwarves are popular, but my own thoughts go along the lines of Drow, too. I just don't like having to look at a dwarven avatar's butt while I'm playing the game.

[Balkas]

With the release of the capstone, do ya'll think a similar build that goes straight paladin is more viable than this one?

I'm starting to think so.

Being able to obtain Tier 3 of the prestige enhancements, the capstone, and whatever further progression of the current enhancements seems to outweigh the benefits of the ranger splash.

Divine Sacrifice III? Exalted Smite IV?

Yes please.

[Desteria]

With the release of the capstone, do ya'll think a similar build that goes straight paladin is more viable than this one?

I'm starting to think so.

Being able to obtain Tier 3 of the prestige enhancements, the capstone, and whatever further progression of the current enhancements seems to outweigh the benefits of the ranger splash.

Divine Sacrifice III? Exalted Smite IV?

Yes please.

Yes for DPS, no for vorp/wounding

I have a pure pally atm he will stay pure and be a very nice character fro DPS and still nto suck at vorp/wounding....

I will probably not bother to make a tempest Zellot, however i stil beleave it;s a strogn build, it owuld gian a bit on the trash killign with vorp/wounders btu lose a bit on boss DPS...