Best noob friendly solo build?

[Warlawk]

I was completely unaware of the issue of hireling raising the difficulty of the mission. Good to know, will try it just buffed and solo, see how it goes.

How well does invisibility work for this? Are you able to effectively sneak past and just fight at places where there is an objective you need for the quest completion or do you still trigger dungeon alert and just get screwed by that and a zerg chasing you when you do pop out of invis?

[Calebro]

While invisible, but not sneaking, mobs can hear you as you run past, but as they don't know exactly where you are and don't follow, it isn't an issue unless you break invisibility.
They'll search for you temporarily, but lose interest quickly because you're soon gone from the area.
DA isn't an issue because they haven't aggro'd on you, and therefore their AI goes inert once they stop searching.

But I'll repeat, this all ends if you break invisibility while mobs are in your area and searching for you. Knowing when to break invis and when to wait before doing so is something that you'll learn as you go.

To amend the spell list above:
Web, Charm Person, Niac's, etc. can be useful situationally, but really the list made above will hold you until you get FW.
Charm Person can be particularly effective for a solo'ist, but you'll be giving up one of your buffs for it.... and if you plan on melee'ing the early levels those buffs really help.
It's a judgment call depending on your playstyle.

[hockeyrama]

you can sneak by alot of used well. However, remember the invisibility does not make you silent so they can hear your footsteps if you get too close unless you have move silent skill.

however, you still going to have a problem in many quests as many quests require mosnters to be cleared (killed off ) before it allows you to open a door or section.

[Calebro]

however, you still going to have a problem in many quests as many quests require mosnters to be cleared (killed off ) before it allows you to open a door or section.

To help in these situations, learn to "body pull" your enemies.
Attacking at a distance or charging into melee will bring all the mobs in the area down upon you.

Staying back and slowly inching forward without attacking until only 1 or 2 mobs see you will bring only those to you and allow you to fight a few at a time instead of all of them. Once they charge you, back off immediately so that no others see the fight. Lather rinse repeat.
This is another trick that takes a little practice to perform properly.

[Phidius]

No, there are a number of posts I've read talking about soloing using masters touch and a two hander until you get firewall. To my experience an untwinked Sorcerer does not have enough SP to solo anything around level 4, how could a wizard possibly have the SP pool to do so?

Yeah, but once you leave Korthos you really should start using your spells to influence the battle rather than killing. Crowd Control, buffs, and self healing (although I normally use wands to conserve SP) are the best use of spell points.

Use Charm Person on the mobs that aren't immune, but don't charm them all... I normally charm 1 out of 3-4 just to even the odds. Normally, the warrior types are easily charmed, and help you by taking the aggro of the casters.

Once you get level 3 spells, switch to Suggestion (fewer things are immune).

With the rogue levels, you'll also get some use out of Glitterdust for automatic backstabs.

Now that I think about it, I pretty much use this technique all the way up to level 20 - just using different spells

[hockeyrama]

I took a low level character I have not used in awhile he is 2 rogue and 2 wizard just to show you what we are discussing. I like hypno instead of charm with that character as he then can gang up (gets the backstab bonus against the dazed) with his summoned creature and take out things one at a time. The red halo means they hypno and until you hit them they not moving (unless they make another save later but still more then enough time). So the idea is walk into the room, target one of them with a hypno and then follow around your mutt and kill them off. Note: I know this guy not the best build was my first ever build and I left him but just wanted to show you what i mean.

http://my.ddo.com/hockeyrama/wp-cont...nshot00003.jpg

[GeneralDiomedes]

Having a hireling cleric with DVs will still outweigh any dungeon scaling IMO. The melee hirelings are allright I guess, but are a bit difficult to use with tactics.

Some other tactics to consider
- charm a few mobs in a group, melee the rest and take advantage of the lack of aggro while it lasts
- find some perches (there are plenty) and range the mobs with your eternal wands of fire/acid. If you can't find a perch, then just kite it
- invis past enemies that don't need to be killed
- sight pull - it's faster than body pulling when those buffs are ticking. You just need some of the mobs to look at you. Use geometry to get the angle on them, or fire range weapons near them to get them to move
- summoned monsters. Scrolls are very cheap, and the dogs make decent tanks. Sneak up with your dog, and let it get first aggro.
- when attacking multiple mobs, move around and keep the mob you are attacking between you and the others
- bluff pulling works quite well, although this may be subject to developer whim, and is another skill you probably can't afford

Some other things to consider
- Repeat the good xp/minute quests (i.e. Information is Key) to speed your ascent
- IMO the straight +2/+3/etc. weapons are the best bang for buck at the auction house if you don't have a lot of cash. Get the best for your level ASAP.
- get the DR items from Korthos .. they really help for a 2 hander arcane with low AC
- don't use a buff unless it's actually helping. I'm mostly thinking of the AC buffs if your AC sucks anyhow.
- turn off auto-attack, auto-target. learn how to manually target
- hotkey everything

[Aschbart]

@dungeon scaling:
I wasn't aware a hireling changes this. Has anyone got an idea about the effects of this scaling? Only thing I know is that when I do low level dungeons with a toon that has the DR 1/- gloves from Korthos, the glancing blows deal no damage, whereas in a full group they do deal quite a few points, and that adds up to uncomfortable levels. So I often need more self-healing (or require help from the party healer) in a group than when soloing!

But honestly, my (low level) experience with melee hirelings was pretty good. With him I was taking no damage at all and always able to cast because the hireling aggroed everything. Without him I was taking lots of damage and losing spells due to failed concentration checks. Of course, I still needed to repair that hireling constantly, and it's quite possible he took even more damage than me. But he finished off the mobs much more effectively than I could, so I'm fine with that.

I like cleric hirelings with DV as well, but mostly with toons who are actually melee builds (with some casting ability), such as my battle cleric or warchanter. Don't see that much of a use for a WF arcane.

[Warlawk]

The responses and suggestions in here are great. The hireling most certainly did jack up the level. I went to strictly solo and now after a couple levels with toughness and the racial enhancement under my belt, as well as level two buffs things went much smoother. I'm yet a little gunshy of running hards just because I'm pretty squishy still, but with a +3 docent and shield I do alright. Using invis cost me Blur from my lineup, but I think it's worth it for a lot of quests. Can just cut out so many fights by cruising on past.

Thanks for all the help guys. Grabbed myself a nice keen falchion to replace the Nicked Greatsword I was using, and looking forward to some havoc with that before I pass it on down to a lowbie 1rog/barb that might be my next project. With a pocket healer hench he is a pretty nice wrecking ball.

Thanks for all the help and ideas up in here.

[Shadeslay7]

The class I've had the easiest time soloing with is just a pure monk "rockin robbin build". Has tons of AC, his reflex saves are so high I just run through traps "they seldom hit me" and he has unlimited healing "at level 7" even if they do. Granted I'm only level 10, but I've had no issues and every other class I've tried so far has left me a bit disappointed starting out, when I compare it to the pure monk.

The only real draw back I've found with this build. Is when ray of enfeeblement hits him, he's crippled if he's carrying anything. Because it will take him off center, then it's run for life time.

[aristarchus1000]

The only real draw back I've found with this build. Is when ray of enfeeblement hits him, he's crippled if he's carrying anything. Because it will take him off center, then it's run for life time.

You should pick up lesser restoration potions, they should be pretty cheap for you by level 10.