Angry Hoplite (Spartan S&B Tactician)

[krisz93]

This one began as a flavor build inspired by a request for a toon resembling Spartan warriors from the movie 300.
It is not the best DPS build, it is very close to the limits of S&B combat, while being able to off-tank and save casters in a pinch.
High DC stuns are always welcome in a group, especially now that helplessness won't cause auto-crits anymore. Until now you couldn't get the DC bonus of Weighted with a slashing weapons, but with the new Crafting System being introduced in U9 you will be able to put Weighted on your shield (which counts as bludgeoning) and bash your way to victory.

I did not want to cheat using 32pts as a f2p player, the build is all right with 28 points, but you could definitely use those extra stats to increase Con or Dex for better Reflex saves.


Race
Either Warforged or Dwarf.
This one is WF for the Power Attack and Tactic enhancements. PA applies to shield bashing too so DPS should be a bit higher than with a dwarf wielding an axe.


Weapon
The weapon of choice is Bastard Sword, which is affected by THF enhancing feats and enhancements (glancing blows, double PA) when not dual wielding. Your best bet is Epic Chimera's Fang from Sentinels.
Epic Swashbuckler from the pirate event does a great job, if you missed out on that then go for Levik's Defender or your personally crafted one. If you notice Stunning Blow is failing too much, swap to Bashing of Stunning (provided stunning will be available for shields).


Class Split
Fighter Kensei II was an obvious choice. Provides bonuses to damage, Stunning DC and extra feat slots. I don't think Kensei III would be worth it, so i took Frenzied Berserker. PA applies equally to bashing, and you can buff your Strength up to the ceiling with improved Rage, Power Surge and Frenzy combined. With 2 levels left the best choice is Rogue 2 for Evasion.


Feats
Despite being a fighter, it is still very tough. The prereqs of Kensai I-II, Cleave and Shield Bash filled up the slots easier than i expected. I could fit in all the DPS increasing feats, but had no place left for Toughness.
Improved Shield Bash gives weapon strikes a 20% chance to trigger shield bash.


Enhancements
These were even tighter, you simply can not get everything you need. You can choose from Tactics, Survivability and DPS increasing ones. Tried to take equal parts from each, the last tier of the Tactics enhancements are way too costly.


Skills
You can try to max out UMD, i didn't bother with 1/2 skill points available. Intimidate is a good choice for group play,
get Jump and Tumble if you are a real SPARTAN.

Play Style
Simple as hell.. Toggle PA when you log in, cut mobs to pieces but try to stand still for glancing blows. Use Tactics Feats when needed and do not forget to shout This is SPARTA!!1! before Tripping.

Toggle SPARTAN mode for instant win
- +4 damage from Power Surge (8 STR)
- +3 damage from Rage (6 STR)
- +2d6 +1 damage from Frenzy (+2 STR, Vicious)
- +3 damage from Damage Boost
- +30% attack speed from Haste Boost

+11 +2d6 damage with a 30% increased attack speed.


EDIT: Replaced Mithral body for Shield Mastery. SM now gives a passive decrease to damage vulnearability, while the +5 armor bonus Mithral body grants can easily be overwritten by +8 bracers.

Character Plan by DDO Character Planner Version 3.8.2
DDO Character Planner Home Page

Level 20 True Neutral Warforged Male
(12 Fighter \ 6 Barbarian \ 2 Rogue) 
Hit Points: 324
Spell Points: 0 
BAB: 19\19\24\29\29
Fortitude: 18
Reflex: 13
Will: 4

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
Abilities        Base Stats          Modified Stats
(28 Point)       (Level 1)             (Level 20)
Strength             18                    26
Dexterity            14                    18
Constitution         16                    20
Intelligence          8                    10
Wisdom                6                     6
Charisma              6                     8

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 Charisma used at level 7

Level 1 (Rogue)
Feat: (Selected) Two Handed Fighting
Enhancement: Rogue Sneak Attack Training I
Enhancement: Warforged Healer's Friend I


Level 2 (Fighter)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Stunning Blow


Level 3 (Fighter)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Exotic Weapon Proficiency: Bastard Sword
Feat: (Selected) Shield Mastery
Enhancement: Fighter Attack Boost I
Enhancement: Fighter Critical Accuracy I
Enhancement: Fighter Strategy (Stunning Blow) I
Enhancement: Fighter Strength I
Enhancement: Warforged Tactics I


Level 4 (Fighter)
Ability Raise: STR
Enhancement: Warforged Great Weapon Aptitude I


Level 5 (Fighter)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Improved Shield Bash
Enhancement: Fighter Attack Boost II
Enhancement: Fighter Critical Accuracy II
Enhancement: Fighter Strategy (Stunning Blow) II


Level 6 (Fighter)
Feat: (Selected) Weapon Focus: Slashing Weapons
Enhancement: Warforged Tactics II


Level 7 (Fighter)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Weapon Specialization: Slashing Weapons
Enhancement: Kensei Bastard Sword Mastery I
Enhancement: Fighter Kensei I


Level 8 (Rogue)
Ability Raise: DEX
Enhancement: Fighter Haste Boost I
Enhancement: Rogue Dexterity I


Level 9 (Fighter)
Feat: (Selected) Power Attack
Enhancement: Fighter Strategy (Stunning Blow) III
Enhancement: Warforged Power Attack I


Level 10 (Fighter)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Improved Two Handed Fighting
Enhancement: Fighter Bastard Sword Specialization I
Enhancement: Warforged Power Attack II
Enhancement: Warforged Great Weapon Aptitude II


Level 11 (Fighter)
Enhancement: Fighter Haste Boost II


Level 12 (Fighter)
Ability Raise: STR
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Greater Two Handed Fighting
Feat: (Selected) Greater Weapon Focus: Slashing Weapons


Level 13 (Fighter)
Enhancement: Fighter Haste Boost III


Level 14 (Fighter)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Greater Weapon Specialization: Slashing Weapons
Enhancement: Kensei Bastard Sword Mastery II
Enhancement: Fighter Kensei II


Level 15 (Barbarian)
Feat: (Selected) Improved Critical: Slashing Weapons
Enhancement: Fighter Extra Action Boost I
Enhancement: Fighter Haste Boost IV


Level 16 (Barbarian)
Ability Raise: STR
Enhancement: Barbarian Damage Boost I
Enhancement: Barbarian Power Attack I


Level 17 (Barbarian)
Enhancement: Barbarian Extend Rage I
Enhancement: Barbarian Extra Rage I
Enhancement: Barbarian Power Rage I
Enhancement: Warforged Power Attack III


Level 18 (Barbarian)
Feat: (Selected) Cleave
Enhancement: Barbarian Damage Boost II


Level 19 (Barbarian)
Enhancement: Barbarian Power Attack II
Enhancement: Barbarian Constitution I
Enhancement: Warforged Constitution I


Level 20 (Barbarian)
Ability Raise: STR
Enhancement: Barbarian Extra Rage II
Enhancement: Barbarian Power Rage II
Enhancement: Barbarian Frenzied Berserker I
Enhancement: Fighter Strength II

P.S. This isn't madness..

[Teharahma]

P.S. This isn't madness..

It's Sparta?

[SetofBs]

I don't get it...you are trying to DPS but chose S&B with a bastard sword? Why not go dwarf and use a greataxe for DPS? Then if you want to S&B you can switch to a dwarven axe for no feat cost and still get the benefit of glancing blows.

[Kahless_of_Cannith]

I don't get it...you are trying to DPS but chose S&B with a bastard sword? Why not go dwarf and use a greataxe for DPS? Then if you want to S&B you can switch to a dwarven axe for no feat cost and still get the benefit of glancing blows.

He mentioned it was a flavor build, intended to resemble a spartan hoplite. Since ddo has no spears, most likely the closest he felt he could get was a bastard sword. Also, now that autocrit is gone the 19-20 crit from the bastard sword could be more beneficial in more situations.

[krisz93]

I have enough feats for bastard sword. Instead of racial bonus, WFs have improved power attack (which applies to shield too) and great weapon aptitude. They are also immune to fatigue from rage, poison etc.

[lethargos]

I was under the impression that bastards only got glancing blows?

[krisz93]

I was under the impression that bastards only got glancing blows?

Not sure about that one yet. Anyway, newer Lamannia patches buff S&B even further, bashing now uses full strength and enhancement modifiers.

[Arlathen]

Love the theme and the ideas behind this one, but I'd look at the U9 adjustments to the following feats:

Improved Shield Bash
Shield Mastery
Improved Shield Mastery

Also, the changes to intimidate make for interesting reading, assuming that Turbine get the ideas on paper into the actual game.

I may have to reforge this build into a 'Son of Sparta' build one day...

[krisz93]

Yeah i'm aware of U9, changes allow us to benefit from S&B actively in combat, that's why this was made to be more like a tough DPS with tactic feats, but feel free to modify it to your liking.

[Arlathen]

Yeah i'm aware of U9, changes allow us to benefit from S&B actively in combat, that's why this was made to be more like a tough DPS with tactic feats, but feel free to modify it to your liking.

Thanks. Can't stop thinking about a dedicated Sword & Board style character, I tried to do a while back with Improved evasion, but with all the changesi n update 9 it made it nerfed-to-hell *sigh*.

However, the idea juices are flowing again. I love the "Hey I'm cool, I can fight intelligently or I can RARR-SMASH!". Seems very 300-esque Spartan to me.

[Battlehawke]

Spear!!!!

[Arlathen]

Spear!!!!

Blame Turbine, not the OP.

[WielderofGigantus]

The weapon of choice is Bastard Sword, which is affected by THF enhancing feats and enhancements (glancing blows, double PA)

Uh... since when does the Bastard Sword get the double PA bonuses that Two-Handed Weapons get?

[Darlor]

You really need to fit toughness in there somewhere. I'd go so far as to say that the first toughness feat on a character like this is worth significantly more than evasion, so I'd either find a way to integrate monk in there (not likely, given the shield) or drop the rogue levels for more fighter levels.

[artandor]

Toggle SPARTAN mode for instant win
- +4 damage from Power Surge (8 STR)
- +3 damage from Rage (6 STR)
- +2d6 +1 damage from Frenzy (+2 STR, Vicious)
- +3 damage from Damage Boost
- +30% attack speed from Haste Boost

just to remind you, you cant have 2 boost active at same time (unless they changed it somewhere when i wasnt playing or somethin)

pretty fun build to read otherwise

[thxkross11]

you cant have 2 boost active at same time

Does this mean that Rage and the Kensei II boost can not be active at the same time?

[Malky]

Does this mean that Rage and the Kensei II boost can not be active at the same time?

Both rage and power surge aren't 'boosts' per se, so they stack. Damage/Haste/Sprint/Skill/etc Boost's are the ones that don't stack, except Human Versatility boosts that can stack with regular boosts as long as they don't boost the same aspect of your character (Haste Boost + HV Damage Boost do stack, regular Damage Boost + HV Damage Boost does not)

[Ngha]

Both rage and power surge aren't 'boosts' per se, so they stack. Damage/Haste/Sprint/Skill/etc Boost's are the ones that don't stack, except Human Versatility boosts that can stack with regular boosts as long as they don't boost the same aspect of your character (Haste Boost + HV Damage Boost do stack, regular Damage Boost + HV Damage Boost does not)

Thats a really good thing to know, I may have to rethink my enhancements

[Malky]

double post

[krisz93]

Yeah you're right, looks like i forgot Power Surge was an Action Boost :3. However, PS lasts for 1 minute, letting you activate one of the boosts (Haste or Damage) for the last 30 seconds once the shared cooldown is over


Rage is not an Action Boost.