The Dancing Blade: VirtuosoII/TempestI/Rog2

[Qezuzu]

Hello!

This build is designed to solo epic quests, by:
--CC: Enthrall, Fascinate, and Song of Capering all last a long time, ignore Spell Resistance, and can be raised to high DC's with very little effort.

--DPS: I can't be bothered to run the numbers, but with Tempest I, Bard Songs, max STR, Power Attack, Ram's Might, full TWF line while Dual Wielding GS Kohpeshes, I should be able to kill something, right?

--Stealth: Stealth is raised to the max. I plan to stealth past as many mobs as I can.

--Self Healing: Sustaining Song, Cure Critical, Heal Scrolls (at 75% higher effectiveness), human Imp. recovery II, etc make for an easily self sufficient toon. Healing AMP gear will also be equipped.

--Kiting: Yes, kiting. Ranger 6 gives Manyshot, and I have the shard and scroll to make an Epic Thornlord.

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

Level 20 True Neutral Human Male
(2 Rogue \ 6 Ranger \ 12 Bard) 
Hit Points: 254
Spell Points: 390 
BAB: 16\16\21\26\26
Fortitude: 12
Reflex: 19
Will: 9

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
Abilities        Base Stats          Modified Stats
(32 Point)       (Level 1)             (Level 20)
Strength             18                    26
Dexterity            15                    17
Constitution         14                    16
Intelligence         10                    12
Wisdom                8                     8
Charisma              8                    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

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
                 Base Skills         Modified Skills
Skills           (Level 1)            (Level 20)
Balance               6                    26
Bluff                -1                     0
Concentration         2                     7
Diplomacy            -1                     4
Disable Device        n/a                   n/a
Haggle                3                    23
Heal                 -1                    -1
Hide                  6                    26
Intimidate           -1                     0
Jump                  8                    19
Listen               -1                     3
Move Silently         6                    26
Open Lock             n/a                   n/a
Perform              n/a                   29
Repair                0                     1
Search                0                     1
Spot                  3                    10
Swim                  8                    14
Tumble                6                     8
Use Magic Device      3                    23

Level 1 (Rogue)
Feat: (Selected) Dodge
Feat: (Human Bonus) Toughness
Feat: (Automatic) Attack
Feat: (Automatic) Heroic Durability
Feat: (Automatic) Light Armor Proficiency
Feat: (Automatic) Martial Weapon Proficiency: Rapier
Feat: (Automatic) Martial Weapon Proficiency: Shortsword
Feat: (Automatic) Martial Weapon Proficiency: Shortbow
Feat: (Automatic) Simple Weapon Proficiency
Feat: (Automatic) Sneak
Feat: (Automatic) Sneak Attack
Feat: (Automatic) Trapfinding


Level 2 (Rogue)
Feat: (Automatic) Defensive Fighting
Feat: (Automatic) Evasion
Feat: (Automatic) Sunder
Feat: (Automatic) Trip


Level 3 (Ranger)
Feat: (Selected) Exotic Weapon Proficiency: Khopesh
Feat: (Favored Enemy) Favored Enemy: Evil Outsider
Feat: (Automatic) Bow Strength
Feat: (Automatic) Martial Weapon Proficiency (ALL)
Feat: (Automatic) Shield Proficiency (General)
Feat: (Automatic) Wild Empathy


Level 4 (Ranger)
Ability Raise: STR
Feat: (Automatic) Rapid Shot
Feat: (Automatic) Two Weapon Fighting


Level 5 (Ranger)
Feat: (Automatic) Diehard


Level 6 (Ranger)
Feat: (Selected) Mobility
Spell (1): Camouflage
Spell (1): Jump
Spell (1): Longstrider
Spell (1): Merfolk's Blessing
Spell (1): Ram's Might
Spell (1): Resist Energy
Spell (1): Summon Nature's Ally I
Spell (1): Tumble


Level 7 (Ranger)
Feat: (Favored Enemy) Favored Enemy: Elemental (or Monstrous Humanoid/Construct/Elf?)


Level 8 (Ranger)
Ability Raise: STR
Feat: (Automatic) Improved Two Weapon Fighting
Feat: (Automatic) Manyshot


Level 9 (Bard)
Feat: (Selected) Spring Attack
Feat: (Automatic) Dismiss Charm
Feat: (Automatic) Fascinate
Feat: (Automatic) Inspire Courage
Spell (1): Cure Light Wounds


Level 10 (Bard)
Spell (1): Focusing Chant


Level 11 (Bard)
Feat: (Automatic) Inspire Competence
Spell (1): Detect Secret Doors


Level 12 (Bard)
Ability Raise: STR
Feat: (Selected) Improved Critical: Slashing Weapons
Spell (2): Rage
Spell (2): Blur


Level 13 (Bard)
Spell (1): Remove Fear
Spell (2): Cure Moderate Wounds


Level 14 (Bard)
Feat: (Automatic) Suggestion


Level 15 (Bard)
Feat: (Selected) Greater Two Weapon Fighting
Spell (2): Invisibility
Spell (3): Cure Serious Wounds
Spell (3): Haste


Level 16 (Bard)
Ability Raise: STR
Feat: (Automatic) Improved Inspire Courage
Spell (3): Displacement


Level 17 (Bard)
Feat: (Automatic) Inspire Greatness


Level 18 (Bard)
Feat: (Selected) Power Attack
Spell (4): Cure Critical Wounds
Spell (4): Freedom of Movement
Spell (3): Good Hope


Level 19 (Bard)
Spell (4): Dimension Door


Level 20 (Bard)
Ability Raise: STR
Feat: (Automatic) Song of Freedom
Enhancement: Rogue Haste Boost I
Enhancement: Bard Extra Song I
Enhancement: Bard Extra Song II
Enhancement: Bard Extra Song III
Enhancement: Bard Extra Song IV
Enhancement: Bard Inspired Attack I
Enhancement: Bard Inspired Attack II
Enhancement: Bard Inspired Damage I
Enhancement: Bard Inspired Damage II
Enhancement: Bard Inspired Damage III
Enhancement: Bard Lingering Song I
Enhancement: Bard Lingering Song II
Enhancement: Bard Lingering Song III
Enhancement: Bard Virtuoso I
Enhancement: Bard Virtuoso II
Enhancement: Human Adaptability Strength I
Enhancement: Human Improved Recovery I
Enhancement: Human Improved Recovery II
Enhancement: Racial Toughness I
Enhancement: Racial Toughness II
Enhancement: Ranger Favored Damage I
Enhancement: Ranger Favored Damage II
Enhancement: Ranger Tempest I
Enhancement: Rogue Faster Sneaking I
Enhancement: Rogue Sneak Attack Training I
Enhancement: Improved Perform I
Enhancement: Improved Perform II
Enhancement: Bard Song Magic I
Enhancement: Bard Song Magic II
Enhancement: Bard Energy of the Music I
Enhancement: Bard Energy of the Music II
Enhancement: Bard Charisma I
Enhancement: Bard Charisma II
Enhancement: Rogue Improved Trap Sense I
Enhancement: Bard Wand and Scroll Mastery I
Enhancement: Bard Wand and Scroll Mastery II
Enhancement: Bard Wand and Scroll Mastery III
Enhancement: Bard Wand and Scroll Mastery IV

HP:
254 (base CON, hit die, feats, tome)
20 Rage
60 +6 CON Item
20 +2 EXC CON
30 GFL
45 Shroud
10 Draconic
20 Toughness (item)
20 Ship
------
450: Survivable, with displacement.

STR:
18 base
5 level
2 tome
1 human
6 item
2 EXC
1 EXC
2 Ram's
2 Rage
2 Ship
------
41. 42 if I include a +3 tome, or something. +16 Damage/attack mod.

Any thoughts/advice/feedback would be appreciated. Thanks!

Mostly concerned about what the DPS would be. It doesn't have to be absolutely stellar, but I'd like it to be able to kill things...

[Qezuzu]

Thought of better name for it... the Danceblade bard.

[krisz93]

I'm not sure you would have a good enough CC for epic, especially now with the U9 DC raise.
Full fledged vitruosos have a perform of 40 naked.

[Qezuzu]

I'm not sure you would have a good enough CC for epic, especially now with the U9 DC raise.
Full fledged vitruosos have a perform of 40 naked.

29 (ranks, AP, CHA)
15 item
3 +6 CHA item
4 GH
2 Luck
-----
53, with no overtly rare gear. My fully specced AM enchanter can get up to 43.

59 when I get a +6 CHR skill item (which requires a cleansing, so that's far off).

That's the beauty of Song CC: You can take a heavy splash out of bard and still have very high DC's, ignore SR, and with Virtuoso they last a pretty long time.

And do note that U9 is only adding +4 to saves on epic mobs. With half HP, mobs can still be easily controlled by very high DC's (+40).

[Phidius]

Looks like fun, but expect a hefty nerf if you succeed in your goals. I have no idea what form it will take, but I have great faith in Turbine's ingenuity when it comes to making us play their game the way they intended.

Just out of curiosity, how do you plan to handle the red-names?

[Qezuzu]

Looks like fun, but expect a hefty nerf if you succeed in your goals. I have no idea what form it will take, but I have great faith in Turbine's ingenuity when it comes to making us play their game the way they intended.

I don't think any sort of nerf to heavily-multiclassed bards is coming.

Just out of curiosity, how do you plan to handle the red-names?

Kiting while manyshot is up, kiting to heal to full with scrolls (sustaining song will help), and hopefully having enough DPS to kill your average redname in I would guess 5 to 10 minutes.

I probably wouldn't be able to do Desert epics or the harder ones like Into the Deeps, but I think Sentinels, carnivals and fens would be doable.

[Qezuzu]

bump

[unbongwah]

--Kiting: Yes, kiting. Ranger 6 gives Manyshot, and I have the shard and scroll to make an Epic Thornlord.

If you really want to kite, have you considered HE or elf AA instead of Tempest? Since the U5 nerf to Tempest, AA provides a bigger boost to ranged DPS than Tempest I provides to melee DPS, IMHO.

[sigtrent]

Interesting... I was working on something similar, same class split, same basic game plan...

Except
1. I was making a ranged focus with TWF as the side line
2. Its dex/finesse based (I didn't have aspirations for epics)
3. I'm trapping

My goal was more a stealth soloist for standard quests as a kind of self challenge to see if I could figure out clever ways to beat them.

I was basically trying to come up with the ultimate no-violence character that only fought when it had to and did so with as little risk as possible.

[unbongwah]

First draft of my build idea:

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

Level 20 True Neutral Half-Elf Female
(2 Rogue \ 6 Ranger \ 12 Bard) 
Hit Points: 274
Spell Points: 411 
BAB: 16\16\21\26\26
Fortitude: 12
Reflex: 20
Will: 10

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
Abilities        Base Stats          Modified Stats
(32 Point)       (Level 1)             (Level 20)
Strength             18                    26
Dexterity            15                    18
Constitution         14                    16
Intelligence         10                    12
Wisdom                8                    10
Charisma              8                    12

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

Level 1 (Rogue)
Feat: (Half-Elf Dilettante) Half-Elf Dilettante: Barbarian
Feat: (Selected) Toughness


Level 2 (Bard)


Level 3 (Ranger)
Feat: (Favored Enemy) Favored Enemy: Undead
Feat: (Selected) Point Blank Shot


Level 4 (Ranger)
Ability Raise: STR


Level 5 (Ranger)


Level 6 (Ranger)
Feat: (Selected) Weapon Focus: Ranged Weapons


Level 7 (Ranger)
Feat: (Favored Enemy) Favored Enemy: Giant


Level 8 (Ranger)
Ability Raise: STR


Level 9 (Rogue)
Feat: (Selected) Exotic Weapon Proficiency: Khopesh


Level 10 (Bard)


Level 11 (Bard)


Level 12 (Bard)
Ability Raise: STR
Feat: (Selected) Improved Critical: Slashing Weapons


Level 13 (Bard)


Level 14 (Bard)


Level 15 (Bard)
Feat: (Selected) Greater Two Weapon Fighting


Level 16 (Bard)
Ability Raise: STR


Level 17 (Bard)


Level 18 (Bard)
Feat: (Selected) Power Attack


Level 19 (Bard)


Level 20 (Bard)
Ability Raise: STR
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 Extra Song III
Enhancement: Bard Extra Song IV
Enhancement: Bard Inspired Attack I
Enhancement: Bard Inspired Attack II
Enhancement: Bard Inspired Damage I
Enhancement: Bard Inspired Damage II
Enhancement: Bard Inspired Damage III
Enhancement: Bard Lingering Song I
Enhancement: Bard Lingering Song II
Enhancement: Bard Lingering Song III
Enhancement: Bard Virtuoso I
Enhancement: Bard Virtuoso II
Enhancement: Human Adaptability Strength I
Enhancement: Human Improved Recovery I
Enhancement: Human Improved Recovery 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: Rogue Sneak Attack Accuracy I
Enhancement: Rogue Sneak Attack Training I
Enhancement: Improved Perform I
Enhancement: Improved Perform II
Enhancement: Bard Energy of the Music I
Enhancement: Bard Charisma I
Enhancement: Bard Charisma II
Enhancement: Ranger Dexterity I
Enhancement: Half-Elf Barbarian Toughness I
Enhancement: Half-Elf Barbarian Toughness II

Biggest issue is enh pts end up pretty tight: between AA, Virt, and max bard songs, not much left over.

[Qezuzu]

If you really want to kite, have you considered HE or elf AA instead of Tempest? Since the U5 nerf to Tempest, AA provides a bigger boost to ranged DPS than Tempest I provides to melee DPS, IMHO.

Thing is, AA-boosted Ranged damage is less than tempest-boosted Melee damage, sans manyshot.

I'm not too interested in going ranged, and I don't have HElf available anyway.

[Phidius]

I don't think any sort of nerf to heavily-multiclassed bards is coming...

Boy, we've heard that a lot.

Don't sweat it though - the only way to avoid being nerfed is to not play the game. Innovative builds are what keep me playing, as long as I have the stamina to keep ahead of the nerf bat.

[sigtrent]

Don't sweat it though - the only way to avoid being nerfed is to not play the game. Innovative builds are what keep me playing, as long as I have the stamina to keep ahead of the nerf bat.

Indeed, getting nerfed means you are probably onto something good. Bard splashed CC has been in game for ages... the fact that it breaks on damage is what has kept it away from the nerf bat most of the time. I kind of doubt that after 5 years turbine is going to come gunning for it.

The build I'm playing is

Halfling
Str 14, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 8, Cha 16
He's only level 4 and I didn't actually plan the full build. I'm going ranged/finesse and really just not worrying about maximizing damage all that much. I may not even take a ranger pere considering the cost involved and that the character tries to avoid fighting whenever possible.

[Qezuzu]

Bump.

I can probably get the Epic Abishai set on this toon. There's no room on my rogue atm.

He's rolled now but I haven't bothered to level him yet. It may be awhile, I want to cap my Evoker FvS first (which should be pretty easy after U9). He's lvl14.

[Qezuzu]

^bump