Solo Build Help

[LoneWolfie]

Well, I was going to put this in the builds section but i don't know exactly what i want to build yet so i'd have had to post/repost it all over lol
here is the issue
i find myself soloing or soloing with a hireling about 95% of the time
I just don't like being on someone else's schedule or having to wait for 5 other people to take 6 brakes over the course of 45 mins...yes yes i know i have no patience and this is an mmo... i dun care :P

so to what i want:

28 point build
can start as a veteran and have drow unlocked
NO WF/HORC/HELF/MONK/FAVORED SOUL
must be able to kill the enemies and deal with locks/traps
i am not rich so can't afford to spend a million plat on wands and the like or great gear either.
mainly want something i can solo quests on norm at lvl and elite at +1-2 lvls above

main issue i am having on deciding is how to fit dealing with traps into the mix... seems like traps take quite a lot of skill points to find/deal with and this seems to limit me on ideas... i'm pretty new so i don't know half a quarter of 1% of the game...

please help me come up with a build that will fit this niche and make the game fun for me

[cru121]

Play a strong melee bard, starting as a rogue.

[mikesharpshooter]

i think any class + 2 rogue can do solo well till level 16 (my top solo now)

[blitzschlag]

Play a strong melee bard, starting as a rogue.

16bard/2rog/2ftr warchanter
human

16 str (levelups here)
8 dex
16 con
12 int
8 wis
12 cha

skills:
umd
perform
balance
concentration
disable
search

feats:
toughness
weapon focus
power attack
improved critical
extend
maximize
thf
imp thf
greater thf

important spells:
haste
blur
displacement
greater hero
ottos

[Dawnsfire]

-snip-

Here is a link to a very basic Human Wiz/Rogue. For self healing you will need to make sure you go palemaster (U9 will allow you the Zombie form and self healing starting at level 7). You should have more than enough skill points for traps/locks. Master's Touch + other buffs + the vet's starter Great Ax should carry you to 6-7 lvl when your Fireball/Fire Wall will level you from then on. Good luck!

[LoneWolfie]

16bard/2rog/2ftr warchanter
human

16 str (levelups here)
8 dex
16 con
12 int
8 wis
12 cha

skills:
umd
perform
balance
concentration
disable
search

feats:
toughness
weapon focus
power attack
improved critical
extend
maximize
thf
imp thf
greater thf

important spells:
haste
blur
displacement
greater hero
ottos

i don't know anything about bards so might be fun to try one out
how would u go about splitting the levels to make this character viable to level for someone with minimal gear/plat to buy gear?
also what type of armor should i run on this on early levels?
would going heavy armor be better or lighter armor to keep the chance to not cast lower?

[blitzschlag]

i don't know anything about bards so might be fun to try one out
how would u go about splitting the levels to make this character viable to level for someone with minimal gear/plat to buy gear?
also what type of armor should i run on this on early levels?
would going heavy armor be better or lighter armor to keep the chance to not cast lower?

start with rogue for skillpoints bonus
do a fighter after for extra feat and martial weapon proficiency
do 6-8 levels bard (get warchanter pre)
do rogue2
do ftr2
do rest bard

due to your low dex your ac will be subpar either way early on. wearing anything other than light armour (mithral breastplate/darkleaf breastplate) will cause arcane spell failure.
using shield of faith and barkskin pots should keep you protected until you have displacement.
get some greataxes for all levels. holy of pure good. holy of rightousness. be sure to get a maul of pg or holy maul for the pesky undeads.

[Daggertooth]

Some advice:

Fighter w/ max strength is the best way to start... its easy to get right as you don't have to spread any stat points around and you get new combat feats every lvl so you can find things that interest you.

Wouldn't worry too much about rogue stuff for the time being

Post an LFM just looking for other new players, leave the quest blank and you can hopefully find one or two others just starting like you .. where you can then find the quests etc and explore at your own pace. "Looking for other brand new players only"

No one should bother ya if you put that in your LFM and you should get a few others to explore around with, which makes the game much more exciting.

Bring along cleric hirlings

Regarding the 'advice' and 'builds' that you get your welcome to do that if you have no interest in exploration or discovering things, 99% of the 'advice' that is given is more like intermediate/advanced stuff 'just do it and be quiet and dont ask questions' type advice. Its meant to minimize your negative impact on any of their groups that you happen to end up in, not really meant to help you to enjoy the game at all.

[blitzschlag]

Some advice:

Fighter w/ max strength is the best way to start... its easy to get right as you don't have to spread any stat points around and you get new combat feats every lvl so you can find things that interest you.

Wouldn't worry too much about rogue stuff for the time being

Post an LFM just looking for other new players, leave the quest blank and you can hopefully find one or two others just starting like you .. where you can then find the quests etc and explore at your own pace. "Looking for other brand new players only"

No one should bother ya if you put that in your LFM and you should get a few others to explore around with, which makes the game much more exciting.

Bring along cleric hirlings

Regarding the 'advice' and 'builds' that you get your welcome to do that if you have no interest in exploration or discovering things, 99% of the 'advice' that is given is more like intermediate/advanced stuff 'just do it and be quiet and dont ask questions' type advice. Its meant to minimize your negative impact on any of their groups that you happen to end up in, not really meant to help you to enjoy the game at all.

can't see why often played, well tested and overall good builds should not help enjoy the game more than building a random **** char (high possibility for a new player) and have trouble finishing the easiest quests?

[LoneWolfie]

Some advice:

Fighter w/ max strength is the best way to start... its easy to get right as you don't have to spread any stat points around and you get new combat feats every lvl so you can find things that interest you.

Wouldn't worry too much about rogue stuff for the time being

Post an LFM just looking for other new players, leave the quest blank and you can hopefully find one or two others just starting like you .. where you can then find the quests etc and explore at your own pace. "Looking for other brand new players only"

No one should bother ya if you put that in your LFM and you should get a few others to explore around with, which makes the game much more exciting.

Bring along cleric hirlings

Regarding the 'advice' and 'builds' that you get your welcome to do that if you have no interest in exploration or discovering things, 99% of the 'advice' that is given is more like intermediate/advanced stuff 'just do it and be quiet and dont ask questions' type advice. Its meant to minimize your negative impact on any of their groups that you happen to end up in, not really meant to help you to enjoy the game at all.

appreciate the advice i should have been a bit more clear in my Opening post i guess
i have played several characters up to about lvl 10ish
i know i haven't touched a lot of the game
as for looking for other players and not worrying about rogue stuff... you seem have missed the point of not wanting to deal with other people :P

[LoneWolfie]

start with rogue for skillpoints bonus
do a fighter after for extra feat and martial weapon proficiency
do 6-8 levels bard (get warchanter pre)
do rogue2
do ftr2
do rest bard

due to your low dex your ac will be subpar either way early on. wearing anything other than light armour (mithral breastplate/darkleaf breastplate) will cause arcane spell failure.
using shield of faith and barkskin pots should keep you protected until you have displacement.
get some greataxes for all levels. holy of pure good. holy of rightousness. be sure to get a maul of pg or holy maul for the pesky undeads.

thanks for the speedy reply
i got a couple what I consider decent axes and greatswords from other characters earlier exploits laying around...
specifically i will be starting at lvl 4 with the hellstroke greataxe i believe it's called... the one from chronoscope
I believe i shall give this build a shot and see how i like it
the fighter i have is pretty boring and i seem to have gimped it pretty bad it being my first character and all lol
I suppose going with a heavy armor for the first couple of lvls ... say to 6... should be ok since i don't think i'll be casting many spells at that lvl due to the rogue/fighter lvls taking away alot of options there
should be interesting and if i can find a decent light armor or a really good robe/outfit i can always slap on some blackwidow bracers or something for a bit of ac

[Daggertooth]

appreciate the advice i should have been a bit more clear in my Opening post i guess
i have played several characters up to about lvl 10ish
i know i haven't touched a lot of the game
as for looking for other players and not worrying about rogue stuff... you seem have missed the point of not wanting to deal with other people :P

Well your not as new as I thought but from what you've said I think you are either going to run into trouble being able to get the traps that you'll need to get or you won't really have to worry about getting em in the first place.

Example your saying that you want to do Elite stuff solo being 2 lvls higher then the quest. You are going to have a very tough time doing that as a bard... and I doubt you'll be able to get the rogue stuff unless you thoroughly research it.

Looks to me like you are heading for a very tough time.
A bard is not as good in combat as a fighter and I think you are missing much of what a fighter is about probably from reading what is on these boards.

.

[LoneWolfie]

I have another question on this bard... i have heard it is possible to choose spells at an early level then change them later when you get a better spell option... how is this done?
any links to information would be greatly appreciated

[blitzschlag]

I have another question on this bard... i have heard it is possible to choose spells at an early level then change them later when you get a better spell option... how is this done?
any links to information would be greatly appreciated

hey again. changing spells on a bard is similar to sorcerer and favored souls.

talk to your trainer and choose the option to change a spell. this costs platinum (depending on changed spell level).

you can exchange spells of the same level only. e.g. change a lvl 3 spell for a other lvl 3 spell.

changing a spell sets a 3 day timer. in the meantime you can't exchange any further spells.

[Rusty_Can]

due to your low dex your ac will be subpar either way early on. wearing anything other than light armour (mithral breastplate/darkleaf breastplate) will cause arcane spell failure.

Not to mention that anything above light armor will negate Evasion (granted by the second rogue level) ^^.

A bard is not as good in combat as a fighter and I think you are missing much of what a fighter is about probably from reading what is on these boards.

True, but an un-geared bard is much more survivable than an un-geared (and inexperienced) melee character: bard levels will provide him reliable self-healing and very good crowd-control capabilities, at least for standard content.

@ the OP: other survivable beginner-friendly characters include melee-capable clerics and rangers.

[LoneWolfie]

hey again. changing spells on a bard is similar to sorcerer and favored souls.

talk to your trainer and choose the option to change a spell. this costs platinum (depending on changed spell level).

you can exchange spells of the same level only. e.g. change a lvl 3 spell for a other lvl 3 spell.

changing a spell sets a 3 day timer. in the meantime you can't exchange any further spells.

thanks that is exactly what i wanted to know... i have never changed a spell on anything ... yet :P
started the build u recommended and am up to lvl 5 so far.. been taking my time learning little bit about bards
enjoying it so far
with the spells i chose and the rogue skills it's really versatile and when i pugged a couple quests just to help someone out it seemed the buffs were helpful even though i only really had 2 lvls of bard to buff with
this is about as fun as my cleric... which is a dedicated group character so i won't be messing with it too much
this fills the slot i wanted very well thanks for recommending it

[simsiim]

guess I'm late, but just wanted to say your going to love the Bard. They are a lot of fun to play with, Well actually any class or Build is or can be, but I enjoy the bard the most.
My bard is a pure, since I decided on Spellsinger, I have had no problems running him solo w/hirelling.
Sounds like you played enough to know about using Clickies, so you having issues with locks and such shouldn't be a problem.

I have no real Main , all my toons are my Mains, the Other class I solo with is a Ranger/Rogue/Fig who is planned out to be a DwS II / Assassin I (hoping DwS II comes out by the time I level Him up t take it), and I would love to play a Dwarf Rogue, but every attempt is not turning out right, so waiting till I unlock 32 points for that one. a Flavor Build, that will require TP or going VIP. That is a Horc Acrobat, But for now My 3rd main (if you want to call it mains) is a Fighter.
The Fighter is the easiest for me, and just something temporary to take breaks from the bard and Ranger mains. I really want to play a Sorcerer and a FvS, but feel I should play a Cleric and Wizard first. If I ever get to start those I actually plan to TR those to immediately , Wiz to Sorc, and the Cleric to FvS.
At the rate I level up and play around seriously, that could be a while .

But really came here to say, I think your going to like the Bard. I think they are underrated what they're capable of doing, so less heard of.

[LoneWolfie]

well my little bard that can is up to level 12 now
been really liking it
very capable for what i wanted and just want to say thank you to everyone who gave advice and such