AA Warchanter - Not just pewpewster

[lethargos]

This is my first truly selfbuilt toon. I wanted to give the Arcane archer a chance and was set on elf and 11 lvls of ranger from the start. That would take care of the AA portion of the build. Then i thought about the 9 remaining levels, what class combination would give me something useful. Bards are really unappreciated class and the usual split of 14/16 lvl obviously wasnt gonna work here. But 8 levels would give useful buffs (haste,rage,blur,rage and good hope mainly), +5/+6 tohit/dam song, umd and fascinate. 9 levels would have given nothing so i went with 1 fighter level for the feat, haste boost and toughness enhancement.

So 11/8/1 ranger/bard/fig. I have leveled him to 18 and im eagerly waiting for lvl 19 for haste/displacement and 20 for the +5/6 song. He is quite a late bloomer but been easy enough to level. I have mainly gone pewpewing with guildies and melee with pugs. I put all level ups in str and took IC: piercing and use rapiers or heavy picks. Tohit has been a slight problem atleast with picks, its a little better with rapiers(need to get some weapons of +5 like gs).

And here is the build, he has worked for me but im willing to take suggestions to improve him (maybe for his next incarnation). I didnt bother to spend skill points in creator but all crucial skills are maxed and he is gonna end up with over 40 umd (gh+head+shroud cha item+bunny hat).

Final hitpoints will be a little over 400 with gear and draconic vitality (and permaraged). Sps will be a little excessive at about 800. Will hit 450 hp when i can craft my minII hp item and wear it.

Character Plan by DDO Character Planner Version 3.8.0
DDO Character Planner Home Page

Level 20 True Neutral Elf Male
(1 Fighter \ 11 Ranger \ 8 Bard) 
Hit Points: 288
Spell Points: 365 
BAB: 18\18\23\28\28
Fortitude: 14
Reflex: 20
Will: 9

                  Starting            Ending          Feat/Enhancement
Abilities        Base Stats         Base Stats         Modified Stats
(32 Point)       (Level 1)          (Level 20)           (Level 20)
Strength             16                 23                   23
Dexterity            18                 20                   24
Constitution         14                 16                   16
Intelligence         10                 12                   12
Wisdom                8                 10                   10
Charisma              8                 10                   10

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                    20
Bluff                -1                     0
Concentration         6                    26
Diplomacy            -1                     0
Disable Device        n/a                   n/a
Haggle                3                     4
Heal                 -1                     0
Hide                  4                     7
Intimidate           -1                     2
Jump                  3                     8
Listen               -1                     2
Move Silently         4                     7
Open Lock             n/a                   n/a
Perform               3                    23
Repair                0                     1
Search                0                     3
Spot                 -1                    25
Swim                  3                     6
Tumble                n/a                   8
Use Magic Device      3                    23

Level 1 (Bard)
Feat: (Selected) Toughness
Feat: (Automatic) Attack
Feat: (Automatic) Dismiss Charm
Feat: (Automatic) Elven Keen Senses
Feat: (Automatic) Enchantment Save Bonus
Feat: (Automatic) Fascinate
Feat: (Automatic) Heroic Durability
Feat: (Automatic) Immunity to Sleep
Feat: (Automatic) Inspire Courage
Feat: (Automatic) Light Armor Proficiency
Feat: (Automatic) Martial Weapon Proficiency: Longbow
Feat: (Automatic) Martial Weapon Proficiency: Longsword
Feat: (Automatic) Martial Weapon Proficiency: Rapier
Feat: (Automatic) Martial Weapon Proficiency: Shortsword
Feat: (Automatic) Martial Weapon Proficiency: Shortbow
Feat: (Automatic) Shield Proficiency (General)
Feat: (Automatic) Simple Weapon Proficiency
Feat: (Automatic) Sneak


Level 2 (Ranger)
Feat: (Favored Enemy) Favored Enemy: Elemental
Feat: (Automatic) Bow Strength
Feat: (Automatic) Defensive Fighting
Feat: (Automatic) Martial Weapon Proficiency (ALL)
Feat: (Automatic) Sunder
Feat: (Automatic) Trip
Feat: (Automatic) Wild Empathy


Level 3 (Ranger)
Feat: (Selected) Weapon Focus: Ranged Weapons
Feat: (Automatic) Rapid Shot
Feat: (Automatic) Two Weapon Fighting


Level 4 (Ranger)
Feat: (Automatic) Diehard


Level 5 (Ranger)


Level 6 (Ranger)
Feat: (Favored Enemy) Favored Enemy: Giant
Feat: (Selected) Point Blank Shot


Level 7 (Ranger)
Feat: (Automatic) Improved Two Weapon Fighting
Feat: (Automatic) Manyshot


Level 8 (Ranger)
Feat: (Automatic) Improved Wild Empathy


Level 9 (Ranger)
Feat: (Selected) Improved Critical: Ranged Weapons


Level 10 (Ranger)
Feat: (Automatic) Evasion


Level 11 (Ranger)
Feat: (Favored Enemy) Favored Enemy: Evil Outsider


Level 12 (Ranger)
Feat: (Selected) Improved Critical: Piercing Weapons
Feat: (Automatic) Greater Two Weapon Fighting
Feat: (Automatic) Improved Precise Shot
Feat: (Automatic) Precise Shot


Level 13 (Fighter)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Power Attack
Feat: (Automatic) Heavy Armor Proficiency
Feat: (Automatic) Medium Armor Proficiency
Feat: (Automatic) Tower Shield Proficiency


Level 14 (Bard)


Level 15 (Bard)
Feat: (Selected) Extend Spell
Feat: (Automatic) Inspire Competence


Level 16 (Bard)


Level 17 (Bard)


Level 18 (Bard)
Feat: (Selected) Weapon Focus: Piercing Weapons
Feat: (Automatic) Suggestion


Level 19 (Bard)


Level 20 (Bard)
Feat: (Automatic) Improved Inspire Courage
Enhancement: Fighter Haste Boost I
Enhancement: Ranger Skill Boost I
Enhancement: Ranger Sprint Boost I
Enhancement: Elven Arcane Archer: Imbue Acid Arrows
Enhancement: Elven Arcane Archer: Imbue Explosive Arrows
Enhancement: Elven Arcane Archer: Imbue Force Arrows
Enhancement: Elven Arcane Archer: Imbue Force Burst Arrows
Enhancement: Elven Arcane Archer: Imbue Slaying Arrows
Enhancement: Elven Arcane Archer: Imbue Terror Arrows
Enhancement: Bard Extra Song I
Enhancement: Bard Extra Song II
Enhancement: Bard Inspired Attack I
Enhancement: Bard Inspired Attack II
Enhancement: Bard Inspired Bravery I
Enhancement: Bard Inspired Bravery II
Enhancement: Bard Inspired Damage I
Enhancement: Bard Inspired Damage II
Enhancement: Bard Lingering Song I
Enhancement: Bard Lingering Song II
Enhancement: Bard Warchanter I
Enhancement: Elven Dexterity I
Enhancement: Elven Dexterity II
Enhancement: Aerenal Elf Melee Attack I
Enhancement: Aerenal Elf Melee Damage I
Enhancement: Elven Ranged Attack I
Enhancement: Elven Ranged Attack II
Enhancement: Elven Ranged Damage I
Enhancement: Elven Ranged Damage II
Enhancement: Racial Toughness I
Enhancement: Racial Toughness II
Enhancement: Ranger Favored Attack I
Enhancement: Ranger Favored Damage I
Enhancement: Ranger Favored Damage II
Enhancement: Elven Arcane Archer: Conjure +2 Arrows
Enhancement: Elven Arcane Archer: Conjure +3 Arrows
Enhancement: Elven Arcane Archer: Conjure +4 Arrows
Enhancement: Elven Arcane Archer: Conjure +5 Arrows
Enhancement: Elven Arcane Archer I
Enhancement: Bard Energy of the Music I
Enhancement: Ranger Dexterity I
Enhancement: Ranger Dexterity II
Enhancement: Fighter Toughness I
Enhancement: Bard Wand and Scroll Mastery I
Enhancement: Bard Wand and Scroll Mastery II

[lethargos]

Would like to have any comments, especially about peoples experiences with just 8 bard levels+warchanter.

[unbongwah]

Since you're almost lvl 19 it's a moot point now, but others may want to take a look at my Bardcher build in my sig for comparison. I take a lot more bard levels for better songs, 2nd-tier bard PrE, longer buffs, higher-lvl spells, etc. Downsides are a lot fewer feats (I don't see any way to add TWF to WC Bardcher w/out gimping archery, so I go THF instead) and no rgr spells at all.

[lethargos]

Well i really wanted to post my build as like it. And it's not a moot point, theres always room for slight tuning. I am pretty sure im gonna TR him at some point and might do something a little different next life. Also he has gotten some suspicious looks when i have joined some parties at higher level. But it's usually been good when ive done my songs.

[maddmatt70]

12 fighter 8 bard arcane archer is better in my opinion because it has much higher personal dps. Here is a link of the build I posted.. http://forums.ddo.com/showthread.php?t=295723

[lethargos]

12 fighter 8 bard arcane archer is better in my opinion because it has much higher personal dps. Here is a link of the build I posted.. http://forums.ddo.com/showthread.php?t=295723

I wanted to go twf. Would be kinda impossible to fit both ranger and twf with 12 fighter. Nice to see someone else has also gone the 8 warchanter though. Ranger gives a nice dam boost with favored enemy, though its situational.

[lethargos]

Anything but links to other builds...

[unbongwah]

What is there to say? You've almost hit 20 with this build, so it's not like anyone can offer advice on how to lvl or redo your build. If anything, you should be offering advice to people who are considering adopting your build on what does & doesn't work about it.

[Arkadios]

Switch out WFiercing for improved crit piercing. that's all.

[lethargos]

Switch out WFiercing for improved crit piercing. that's all.

I have IC piercing. Weapon focus is taken at lvl 18 (bard lvl 6) as a prereq for warchanter I.

And i still havent hit lvl 19 but the leveling and playability has been good. Levels 14-17 were a bit frustrating as the gains from those levels were a bit unsatisfying. But levels 18,19 and 20 all give very nice abilitiesfrom the bard levels.

[ariel7]

You dismissed or complained about every piece of advice. So mine is simply: roll with what you made since you aren't open to input.

[lethargos]

You dismissed or complained about every piece of advice. So mine is simply: roll with what you made since you aren't open to input.

Well the only real tweaks offered to me were take 12 fighter instead of 1 and go thf. So yeah i dismissed that, becouse i really wanted the twf route and it would have changed the build too much.

I think this toon is up for true reincarnation at some point and the 8 levels of bard is the core of this build. Thats something i dont wanna change, so i might have to to go and change the rest of my levels. Have to look at the 12 fighter option again as it does seem to be the most feasible option for now.

[wolfy42]

Just curious if you have thought of going with a mechanic rogue/warchanter/kensi build instead?


6 rogue (for int bonus and free light repeating),6 fighter (for weapon speci + kensi bonus and bonus feats) and 8 bard (for warchanter and inspire damage/attack II).

Net result would be much higher damage when not using multishot and strength would not really be that imporant. Only negative would be your TWF fighting would seriously suffer.....but honestly you would have enough feats to go with both ranged and TWF if you want.

One of your fighter feats would be wasted (since you are going to get weapon spec), but you'd need weapon focus anyway....so that means you get 3 bonus feats from fighter levels. Not quite as many from 11 ranger levels....but hey you get 6 rogue levels in there too!!

You could take:

WF ranged,WS ranged,Toughness,PBS,Point Blank Shot,Preice shot, improved precise shot and still have 4 feats left over (3 for GTWF....leaves 1 left for power attack.

Only thing is I don't think WF ranged counts for the warchanter Prereq...which messes everything up a bit......sigh. I guess you could ditch GTWF and still get everything. Would be pretty sweet ranged damage if nothing else. If ou ditch the GTWF chain you could get rapid reload as well....and if your going big on dex.....you'd want weapon finess for when you are forced into melee (if you even bother with melee at all with that character).

Honestly your damage bonuses to range would be so high I'd say just go pure ranged in that case.....your gonna have a hard time out damaging your light repeating xbows even if you did have GTWF + finess. And if you don't plan on meleeing you can ignore strength pretty much all together.

A drow would actually work pretty freaking well for once since you want int/dex/cha big time..although the con hit would certainly hurt. Human is another great choice though (or Half-elf with pally for save bonuses). Human would give you one more feat (that would let you snag the GTWF chain AND get weapon focus piercing etc...although no room for weapon finess).

Human might be:

Str 14 (06)
Dex 16 (10)
Con 14 (06)
Int 16 (10)
Wis 08 (00)
Cha 08 (00)

That would give you enough str to not need weapon finess (with bard songs etc going), enough dex to reach 19 for improve precise shot (especially if you put points into dex...you could split between dex and int if you really wanted), a fairly decent con and plenty of int for bonus damage long term.

+2 strength from fighter enhancements
+2 dex from rogue enhancements
+2 cha from bard enhancements

You could go with your melee damage for your kensie/weapon spec bonus...but honestly why not maximize your repeating xbow? Once you start adding so much damage to it through int, warsong etc....you might as well max it out as much as possible.

Fighter would give haste boost as well, in combo with bards haste spell.

Anyway just another alternative. If human you could fit in the GTWF line.....or you could go with other races (or still human for that matter, or half-elf for bonus saves etc) and ditch the GTWF line all together (think human is the best bet though).

Main problem would be a the character would take awhile to start really getting good...but to be honest you could hold off on the fighter levels and still make it pretty effective early on. You could pretty much go pure rogue at first, then pure bard and then pure fighter and be quite effective all the way up.

[wolfy42]

Hmmmm...had another idea...not sure how well it would work...but it's interesting.

Instead of snagging 6 fighter...what if you went with 6 ranger instead?


6 fighter would give +2 strength though for melee combat and haste boost...which is very nice. And it gives 4 bonus feats all together (weapon spec makes it only really 3 though).


6 ranger though would give TWF/ITWF and Rapid shot for free. You'd still need PBS though to get precise shot later on. Since you would get Rams Might (+2 damage and 2 strength) you basically get the 2 damage of weapon spec for free in spell form...and you'd get 2 favored enemies as well (not to mention bow strength AND manyshot for free....and manyshot would probably be more damage for the 20 seconds at least then your repeating xbow).

Not sure which is better to be honest...but thought I'd mention that option as well. Rangers also get sprint boost which could be nice for a ranged build.

I think fighter is slightly better though. Kensi bonus just adds a bit more damage (+3 all together with weapon spec) although it does only add to one weapon type...while ranger is universal bonus damage...and +3 as well with melee or bow damage (due to the +2 strength as well).

If you were going pure ranged I'd say fighter for sure.....but if you want to go down the TWF line...well then 6 ranger is a good option as well.

And thats not really that different then what you had...your just dropping from 11 ranger to 6....allowing yourself room for 6 rogue.

The 6 rogue though would really give you more versatility I think. Not to mention adding in rogue skills to your character, sneak attack damage, uncanny dodge etc.

With mechanics boost you'd be a master trap monkey on top of having great ranged damage and if human you could rock the melee two handed damage as needed as well.

Hmm so if you went with 6 ranger that would mean you would still need. PBS/Toughness/WF (something melee)/PS/IPS/GTWF/power attack

So yeah, it's doable...but barely. I think the fighter setup is better. No need to cast Ram's that way + fighter haste boost + 2 more strength all the time (enhancements).

[Hirosue]

so you went warchanter for the extra boost to damage.Bard for self haste of maybe 90 seconds ?

Result

sucky arcane archer will be 5 percent less uselss due to small extra damage output from warchanter song that lasts 2:30 minutes .

[lethargos]

so you went warchanter for the extra boost to damage.Bard for self haste of maybe 90 seconds ?

Result

sucky arcane archer will be 5 percent less uselss due to small extra damage output from warchanter song that lasts 2:30 minutes .

I do acknowledge the gimp factor of ranged combat. Melee ability of the build is mediocre. Bard abilities if the build dont fall that short though. I have yet heard no complains when i have whipped my lute out. Fullout bard is better, the normal 14/16 warchanter is better. But with 8 levels you can do the buffbot thing. And you can do something with the 40+umd too. And if i remember correctly inspire courage lasts atleast 5 minutes. Also fascinate can be useful if its a tactic the party wants to use.

So getting those bard levels was a tradeoff from dps to versatility.

[lethargos]

Finally level 19 and getting displacement and haste really makes a difference. The spells are a little short on duration but sps are no problem. the last level will give me slayer arrows and i should be about ready then to craft my LitII bow. That should bring a big increase to personal ranged DPS.

[wax_on_wax_off]

Finally level 19 and getting displacement and haste really makes a difference. The spells are a little short on duration but sps are no problem. the last level will give me slayer arrows and i should be about ready then to craft my MinII bow. That should bring a big increase to personal ranged DPS.

No no no no no no no! No MinII bow!

Entire purpose to MinII weapon is to have a DR bypasser. However, you can have a litII bow and just use whichever arrows you need to bypass the DR in question and have massively higher DPS.

It's an ok build, personally I wouldn't build with so few bard (or any casting class) levels. Personally (and a build that I've wanted to try for a while), I would go something like 16 bard virtuoso, 2 rogue, 2 fighter half-elf with ranger dilettante or something similar. Perhaps squeeze in power attack to have some decent THF twitch DPS or just go all out ranged with bard goodness.

[lethargos]

No no no no no no no! No MinII bow!

Entire purpose to MinII weapon is to have a DR bypasser. However, you can have a litII bow and just use whichever arrows you need to bypass the DR in question and have massively higher DPS.

It's an ok build, personally I wouldn't build with so few bard (or any casting class) levels. Personally (and a build that I've wanted to try for a while), I would go something like 16 bard virtuoso, 2 rogue, 2 fighter half-elf with ranger dilettante or something similar. Perhaps squeeze in power attack to have some decent THF twitch DPS or just go all out ranged with bard goodness.

Oops, didnt have my morning coffee yet. I meant LitII of course (Edited)

[Nephilia]

Switch off all piercing feats for slashing feats!
As an elf u can (and u want) have +2 hit/damage with scimitar