Any advice for a newbie?

[Harpocrates]

Okay, so I'm pretty new, my highest is my level 7 halfling rogue assassin on the Dark Blade path. I'm really liking it, but the thing is... I feel under par much of the time. I am less than 50 favor from getting the drow for free. I was considering deleting my character and making a drow once I unlock it and going on a custom path from the start. I was looking around, and see a bunch of.... wouldn't say arguments, more like a difference in opinion, about how an assassin rogue should be built. It seems the two main types of builds are str oriented, where as others are dex/int oriented, the latter seeming better with weapon finesse. I was just wondering if anyone could give me some advice for an end game build that would be all around good, as in a great trap person, but be able to dish out huge damage as well, all the while not getting slaughtered due to a low con score. As I said, keep in mind that I'm new, so try to newb it down a bit for me.

OffTopic: The collectors backs are bound to account. I know this means I need to use a shared bank to transfer it, but am I able to mail it to another character on my account?

[stupid123]

Drow wouldn't do much. Custom is always the way to go. Although rogue for a new player is a bad choice. They can he hard to lv and getting gear is a pain. Make a dwarf thf barb which is easy to lv and everyone loves barbs.

[DoctorWhofan]

Okay, so I'm pretty new, my highest is my level 7 halfling rogue assassin on the Dark Blade path. I'm really liking it, but the thing is... I feel under par much of the time. I am less than 50 favor from getting the drow for free. I was considering deleting my character and making a drow once I unlock it and going on a custom path from the start. I was looking around, and see a bunch of.... wouldn't say arguments, more like a difference in opinion, about how an assassin rogue should be built. It seems the two main types of builds are str oriented, where as others are dex/int oriented, the latter seeming better with weapon finesse. I was just wondering if anyone could give me some advice for an end game build that would be all around good, as in a great trap person, but be able to dish out huge damage as well, all the while not getting slaughtered due to a low con score. As I said, keep in mind that I'm new, so try to newb it down a bit for me.

OffTopic: The collectors backs are bound to account. I know this means I need to use a shared bank to transfer it, but am I able to mail it to another character on my account?

Welcome!

1. NEVER take a path. It is better to customize your own toon, even if you make mistakes. Trust me on this.

2. Rogues are not the best soloists, nor are they are the best at much, except traps.

3. CON IS NOT A DUMP STAT. You have learned that now. strive for a 12-14 CON with a 28 pt build.

Also, there are ways to fix your CON such as Reincarnation and such. Most are very expensive, either with TP or in game cash. It is wiser to find CON items and False Life items in the game.

4. Bound to account stuff can only betraded via the shared bank. It's a worthy investment after purchasing the Vale of Twilight.

5. Take the lessons learned from your first character and apply to your second.

Again, welcome to the game. Now you have basics down, and looks like you have Drow too, create a better character from the knowledge you gained here.


PS: Guess what? Just about EVERY VET in the game went through this, and had to reroll often several times to get it right. THis game has a sharp learning curve, but once you get it, it will be spetacular!

Good luck!

[DoctorWhofan]

Drow wouldn't do much. Custom is always the way to go. Although rogue for a new player is a bad choice. They can he hard to lv and getting gear is a pain. Make a dwarf thf barb which is easy to lv and everyone loves barbs.

Drow is fine, especially if he does another Rogue or a wizard. THey are harder to do with other classes, but you can. My main is a Drow cleric.

However, Barbarians and Fighters tend to be easier for first timers. Rogues and paladins much harder. THe caster classes can be hard or easy, depending on your playstyle.

[Harpocrates]

I may not have been very clear. I do like the rogue, I am very good with it. In fact, I have a few friends who always ask for my assistance. Rogues are not that hard of a class to play, they just take patience. As for the useful advice, thank you very much! I was just thinking that with the Drow being possibly the coolest race in existence, they had to be good rogues... :> I was considering just getting to 20 and reincarnating, then I found out you pretty much replay your character, and get no differences with race or anything. So I decided to just start over.... So is there any advice on how to dump my stats and how to set my character up?

OffTopic: You can, in fact, mail bound items. I just tested it and now I'm out almost 500 platinum.....

OffOffTopic: I don't like to refer to them as toons, in part because I RP, and they are suppose to be people, but mainly because the term comes from WoW, and I really detest that game....

[Yaga_Nub]

Here's my advice...

Don't suck.

[TrinityTurtle]

My newbie advice:

1) The ddo forum, ddowiki, character planner, and ddo game guide are all indispensible tools. Do not fear them, make them your new best friends. Nothing arms a player like knowledge.

2) Pay attention to what the other players are doing, and try to be a team player. You can learn a lot about what do to, and just as importantly, what not to do just by paying attention.

3) Communicate. Communication is the key to smooth questing.

4) Do not be afraid to grab a hireling cleric and jump in a strange quest and poke around, you will learn so much from trying and exploring.

5) Don't let anyone's crazy get to you. You are playing a game, enjoy it, have fun with it, have successes and failures, and realize the uptight crazy screaming people are probably not overly happy irl either and let it flow past you.

[t0r012]

Best advice I can give for a new player is get a group of friends to start playing with you. Be awful together and dont read the wikis or get any info ahead of time.
Enjoy the struggle and challenge of getting through the game as intended.

Then come back and read up and play for keeps.

If that isn't your thing read and play and reroll and reroll again.

[Harpocrates]

I don't usually ever ask for something like this but... Is there any chance any higher level people on my server run me through some mid level stuff for the last 46 favor I need?

[Kinerd]

2. Rogues are not the best soloists, nor are they are the best at much, except traps.

I disagree vehemently. Rogues are no better at traps than wizard/rogues, though both can easily achieve 100% success. Rogues also have by far the highest single-target melee DPS ceiling.

I was considering just getting to 20 and reincarnating, then I found out you pretty much replay your character, and get no differences with race or anything.

Lesser Reincarnation and Greater Reincarnation allow you to change the specifications of your character without actually playing through any earlier levels. True Reincarnation completely annihilates your character - you can change anything except the name.

Here is a 28 point halfling rogue build:

14 Str (all levelups here)
16 Dex
14 Con
12 Int
10 Wis
8 Cha

Feats:
TWF
Toughness
Oversized TWF or Toughness
Improved TWF*
Improved Critical: Pierce
Greater TWF
Power Attack

To get ITWF (and GTWF), you need 17 Dex. You might not be able to afford a +1 Tome by level 9; if so, switch Power Attack into this slot. You can delay ITWF until level 15 at the latest, at which point you will absolutely be able to afford a +1 tome.

Your weapons of choice are rapiers and shortswords (or daggers) in the off hand, or all rapiers if you took OTWF.

Enhancements: Haste Boost, Cunning, Guile, Assassin, Toughness.

Good to go!

[suszterpatt]

In my experience, there are two types of Assassins: those who invest in INT and actually use Assassinate, and those who dump INT in favor of STR, and just enjoy the extra Sneak Attack damage. If the forums are any indication, most people fall in the latter category.


Not to say that's bad, after all, you can't assassinate raid bosses. But you have to make the choice between these styles when you start building your character, and assign your stats accordingly. You'll need at least 15 DEX (preferrably 16 or 17 on a first lifer, as +2 tomes are somewhat expensive) and 14 CON: the rest of your points should go into either STR or INT.


Personally, I get massive kicks out of assassinating everything, but you may want to take things easy at first and go with the more straightforward STR build.

[Tsuarok]

I think that dex/int assassins can be good. I think you'll have an easier time of it going str.

[Harpocrates]

And any tips on multi classing?

[stupid123]

Drow is fine, especially if he does another Rogue or a wizard. THey are harder to do with other classes, but you can. My main is a Drow cleric.

Rogues can be done with any class but drow doesn't do anything. If anything it looses you 20hp. Go halfling or human or Horc if ya got it.

[JollySwagMan]

Best advice I can give for a new player is get a group of friends to start playing with you. Be awful together and dont read the wikis or get any info ahead of time.
Enjoy the struggle and challenge of getting through the game as intended.

Then come back and read up and play for keeps.

If that isn't your thing read and play and reroll and reroll again.

This so very much.

There's plenty of time to get jaded and see only the grind

That said, the OP did ask for endgame advice. Str and Con and a calculator.

[Emizand]

I don't usually ever ask for something like this but... Is there any chance any higher level people on my server run me through some mid level stuff for the last 46 favor I need?

What server are you on mate?

[DeathsApprentice]

In my experience, there are two types of Assassins: those who invest in INT and actually use Assassinate, and those who dump INT in favor of STR, and just enjoy the extra Sneak Attack damage. If the forums are any indication, most people fall in the latter category.

My assassin is STR based, and I still enjoy assassinating mobs. My current dc is 37, so I kill pretty much everything I stealth up to. I don't play epics though, so I have no idea how my assassinate does in those circumstances.

[MindCake]

Rogues can be done with any class but drow doesn't do anything. If anything it looses you 20hp. Go halfling or human or Horc if ya got it.

1st life 28 points human:
16 STR, 16 DEX, 15 CON, 8 INT, 8 WIS, 8 CHA
special: extra feat

1st life drow:
16 STR, 17 DEX, 14 CON, 10 INT, 8 WIS, 10 CHA
special: racial enhancements for rapiers and short swords

1st life 28 points halfling:
14 STR, 17 DEX, 16 CON, 8 INT, 8 WIS, 8 CHA
special: racial SA enhancements

1st life 28 points HOrc:
18 STR, 16 DEX, 15 CON, 6 INT, 8 WIS, 6 CHA
special: racial STR enhancements

Halfling does stick out as a better choice. But I wouldn't say either of the other ones is obviously better than the others. And they're not far behind halfling too.

In particular, Drow may or may not be 20 HP behind human, but may be 2 attack+damage and 1 UMD ahead.

[markusthelion]

And any tips on multi classing?

Yes, don't do it. At least until you get a wider grasp on game mechanics and have more resources like Platinum, gear, tomes and such.

[Talon_Moonshadow]

In my experience, there are two types of Assassins: those who invest in INT and actually use Assassinate, and those who dump INT in favor of STR, and just enjoy the extra Sneak Attack damage. If the forums are any indication, most people fall in the latter category.


Not to say that's bad, after all, you can't assassinate raid bosses. But you have to make the choice between these styles when you start building your character, and assign your stats accordingly. You'll need at least 15 DEX (preferrably 16 or 17 on a first lifer, as +2 tomes are somewhat expensive) and 14 CON: the rest of your points should go into either STR or INT.


Personally, I get massive kicks out of assassinating everything, but you may want to take things easy at first and go with the more straightforward STR build.

Yes, you can kill someone with a knife in the back or a 2 x 4 to the face.

The 2 x4 is actually easier to use, works in more situations, and has less chance that something will go wrong with the job.......but it tends to get a bit messy, and requires you to partner with a CLeaneR.