You scream, I scream, we all scream for...Green Steel?

[ristretto93]

After almost 2 years of playing and avoiding things involving farming, grinding, raids and pretty much the high-end game, I have finally opened myself to these aspects of the game.

Long story short, I have a melee character (fighter/barb/rogue 12/6/2) I really enjoy and am starting to make new friends in the game with. I have run the Shroud 4 times now (I'm such a newb Hah!) and from what I can tell am having pretty good success so far collecting ingredients (for instance: 3 LDS in 4 total runs, thats sorta good right?).

I have already made 1 (of 2) blank GS weapons, probably going for LitII.

I have everything I need to make another blank item which will be my 45 HP item (probably Aspect of SmokeII which gives 20% blur and a 2x/rest Displacement clicky). This will be the item I complete first, making the weapons I need later.

My main concern is over which slot to make this item. I'm afraid I will end up picking up other good raid gear and having to choose to either not use it or remake the GS hp item, which I do not even want to think about needing to do. At first I was thinking either Goggles or Bracers, as these slots have for the lower and mid levels always been the hardest slots to find significant gear for. But then I remembered items like Tharnes Goggles (this is the sneak attack item, right?), which I totally want to score & put to good use. I imagine there are some good melee bracers out there too that are not as out of reach for me as they once were. Pretty much all of my current gear is replaceable, I am not attached to any of it should I need to move (or get rid of) equipment to accommodate my HP item.

I would love to hear any insight, ideas, or advice from other people who play melee characters:

-where did you slot your hp item and why?
-Aspect of Smoke II worth it for a DPS?
-Other recommendations besides SmokeII for a melee character who is at times a huge hate/agro generator even if not really focused on being a tank, but isn't squishy either and can and will tank if the situation demands it.

Also, hearing about mistakes that were made or botches can be interesting and helpful too.

I know for sure there have been other threads asking this question, I know because I saw and read one a long time ago. However the game has been changing constantly, and people might have different approaches now (also, I almost never find the right threads when trying to search the forums for specific things).

[activating the Shameless Flattery Generator (patent pending)]
There are some really insightful people who have put in the blood sweat and tears necessary to call themselves veterans of the game. I know because I've been reading the posts you guys make for (almost) a couple years now and have made immeasurable progress as a player as a result of the reading I have done here. You guys (and gals!!) are ...*sniff*...you guys are my HEROES!! Thank you(s) in advance for the brilliant advice I am certain I will receive.

[karnokvolrath]

I personally use goggles and boots, but every slot is debatable.

Mine includes no tharnes and loosing an item in TOD.

Basically all i can say is due as much reserch on the items you want to collect as possible before making your choice.

edit - my melee weapon of choice...lit2

[LoveNeverFails]

i slotted my HP item as goggles. I think melees have the tharnes goggles though, i can't remember what they do but i know that in addition to TS they have something else that is really nice for melees, so i'd reccomend looking at those first before you make a decision for goggles. Most popular i've seen are goggles and a cloak.

Did my homework: Tharne's goggles.

They are actually very wicked. I'd reccomend looking for those...lol

[sirgog]

It's really hard to work out where to put a Greensteel item now. Unlike the days when Shroud was new, every slot has some useful melee items in it.

What I'd suggest is that you make your HP item to only Tier 2 first, and put it in whatever slot you have the weakest items in now. Then, much later down the track you can remake it having lost no Large Scales or Large Shrapnels (the two main bottlenecks for crafting melee items; Scales and Stones being the bottlenecks for most items casters desire). The Tier 2 item will be useful forever as a clicky if you go Smoke.

Then make Lit 2 khopeshes (they'll be a bigger power increase for your character than the tier 3 accessory will be). Finally, by the time you have them done, you can make a final decision on a hitpoint item. More and more of my characters are electing to go with a Mineral 2 hitpoint item (Heavy Fortification), then slotting Toughness into an epic item at a later date, allowing you to get rid of Minos Legens.



Edit: Oh and I made a Smoke item on my main a long time ago. It's excellent for soloing, but I find even when I tell people 'don't waste SP blurring me, I have perma-blur' they ignore it anyway. The displacement clickie is incredible, however, and much more so on an item you wear full time - there's nothing that will save someone that is taking a real pounding quite like a quickened Heal (or Lay on Hands) followed by a Displacement - something you can only do if the Displacement clicky is permanently equipped (otherwise, they'll lose most of the HP you just healed while you are equipping the clicky, which adds a full second to the time it takes to fire off the Displacement).

I can't count the number of times having that Smoke item has saved 10% XP on a TR.

[karnokvolrath]

Also i would HIGHLY recomend this download, DDO Game Guide.

Its the one stop shop for everything you ever wondered, greensteel, quests, puzzles, epic items.

It can be found here locally in this thread...

http://forums.ddo.com/showthread.php?t=137347

Then make Lit 2 khopeshes (they'll be a bigger power increase for your character than the tier 3 accessory will be). Finally, by the time you have them done, you can make a final decision on a hitpoint item. More and more of my characters are electing to go with a Mineral 2 hitpoint item (Heavy Fortification), then slotting Toughness into an epic item at a later date, allowing you to get rid of Minos Legens.

Agreed. Also dont underestimate the skill bonus's that come along with the item your planning, a +5 to cha can make UMD much more useful.

[Illiain]

If you find yourself tanking/soloing, Tharnes doesn't do a whole lot more than give True Sight and bonuses to your spot and search. This is when goggles are a good spot. If you're more DPSing, then the SA hit/damage bonus will make that piece excellent.

If you plan to run TOD a lot, then your ring/belt/neck slots will be used for a couple sets and the set bonuses they have. You'll also need the boots for TOD, so don't slot anything there that you'll need all the time.

I'd suggest going through DDOwiki and checking all the raid and epic loot. Make yourself a wishlist of all the best items, and what would give you the highest stats, set bonuses and damage.Then see which piece is the most replaceable.

If you can fit heavy fort and toughness into epic pieces with blue slots, then your helm might work. You could then easily replace your Minos with your GS hp item.

If you're not looking into grinding out epic gear, then cloak, bracer or wrist are good places to slot in GS and be able to keep your Minos.

[uthanak69]

I did cloak for my HP item. No real useful cloaks IMO, at least, not for a melee.

[sirgog]

I did cloak for my HP item. No real useful cloaks IMO, at least, not for a melee.

Epic Envenomed is incredible, except for those melees that wear U9 or U10 armor and have +10 Reflex save slotted on that, or those in Dragontouched that have +5 resist on their bottom tier.

Slot Good Luck on it, and it's +7 to all saves and +7 Con. Alternately, slot a different effect (Toughness, etc) that you badly need.

[Illiain]

I did cloak for my HP item. No real useful cloaks IMO, at least, not for a melee.

Epic Envenomed Cloak is one of the few +7 con items along with +5 resists and a green slot, and if you can slot in 2 more Chrono pieces, you'll get a +3 bonus to strength that stacks with everything except LotD.

[Menion4702]

On my 18 barb / 2 fighter I made a minII HP helm. I use an epic envenomed cloak in his cloak spot. The Epic Cloak is +7 con, +5 resist, and has a epic green slot which is where I slotted toughness.

The minII item gives you Heavy Fort, +5 Prot, and 2 clickies of 160 point stone skin.

[Illiain]

On my 18 barb / 2 fighter I made a minII HP helm. I use an epic envenomed cloak in his cloak spot. The Epic Cloak is +7 con, +5 resist, and has a epic green slot which is where I slotted toughness.

The minII item gives you Heavy Fort, +5 Prot, and 2 clickies of 160 point stone skin.

I pretty much always make Min2 helms. With the Bracelet of Thaarak and later on epic items with blue slots, you can fit Toughness into other places and completely skip using a Minos.

[Blank_Zero]

Heavy fort on epic claw Bracers, toughness on envenomed cloak.

If you play a warforged, even regular claw Bracers will get you to 100%.

I made my goggles my hp item and added disintegrate guard (was cheaper than lit2 for close to as much damage). You could also do air guard. The haste clickie is awesome, as is the proc.

[ristretto93]

So far the info in the replies has been golden, I really appreciate that.

This is especially helpful:

What I'd suggest is that you make your HP item to only Tier 2 first, and put it in whatever slot you have the weakest items in now. Then, much later down the track you can remake it having lost no Large Scales or Large Shrapnels (the two main bottlenecks for crafting melee items; Scales and Stones being the bottlenecks for most items casters desire). The Tier 2 item will be useful forever as a clicky if you go Smoke.

Then make Lit 2 khopeshes (they'll be a bigger power increase for your character than the tier 3 accessory will be). Finally, by the time you have them done, you can make a final decision on a hitpoint item. More and more of my characters are electing to go with a Mineral 2 hitpoint item (Heavy Fortification), then slotting Toughness into an epic item at a later date, allowing you to get rid of Minos Legens.

I don't know why it hadn't occurred to me that I don't have to craft all the way to tier III for an item to still be useful. I am sold on this idea, sirgog, as I can have the benefit of some HP to get me through while putting my weapons together, and having that clicky would be sweet...'nuff said.

The idea of a cloak I hadn't thought of. I currently wear Charisma on my cloak (with like resistance/saving throws or something) for the purpose of UMD, but it certainly isn't vital that this be worn at all times even though it makes one less thing to click/swap when trying some of the tougher scrolls and such. For me right now, I guess now I am favoring either the bracers slot or the cloak.

I will try to put a 'wish-list' of attainable gear together for myself so I know roughly which way I'm going gear wise...good call on that one! It would ease the 'fear of commitment' issues (hah!) I have with my unborn greensteel item and what form it will take.

Another question has arisen...its about Concord. Opposition items. First, spell points are currently useless to this character (though who knows about TRing to a class that could make use of them). Second, the proc to generate temp hitpoints...does this happen often enough to be a significant and noticeable increase to overall survivability? Again, the spell point aspect of this is also not useful at this point. I really would love an item which gives me plusses to Charisma based skills for UMD, and it looks like I can add this. So...conc. opp. item on melee...good or a waste of ingredients?

Again, this has been really helpful stuff...you all have my deep gratitude.

[noneill]

As Sirgog said, don't make a Tier 3 item right away. As soon as you do you will pull a raid item you want to wear in that spot. I made that mistake and made con op goggles and pulled Tharne's goggles about a week after. Now I do the swap around dance. Remaking an item with smalls and mediums is no big deal , remaking a 24 Large item is painfull.
You can't go wrong with a Lit II weapon.

[ristretto93]

Also i would HIGHLY recomend this download, DDO Game Guide.

Its the one stop shop for everything you ever wondered, greensteel, quests, puzzles, epic items.

It can be found here locally in this thread...

http://forums.ddo.com/showthread.php?t=137347

This guide looks interesting. I have neither seen nor heard of it until now and it looks like it covers a lot of ground. Thanks, I will certainly be checking that out.

[uthanak69]

Epic Envenomed Cloak is one of the few +7 con items along with +5 resists and a green slot, and if you can slot in 2 more Chrono pieces, you'll get a +3 bonus to strength that stacks with everything except LotD.

I personally don't care for running epics. So I most likely won't have epic gear. Outside of the couple things I made during the Cove.

[Illiain]

I personally don't care for running epics. So I most likely won't have epic gear. Outside of the couple things I made during the Cove.

Well, as I said earlier, if you're not into the epic grind then cloak is definitely a good spot. The only easily obtained named cloak, that's worth anything, is the one from the Mabar event, and nothing on it is "need to have" it's just a bunch of good effects on a single object.

Another question has arisen...its about Concord. Opposition items. First, spell points are currently useless to this character (though who knows about TRing to a class that could make use of them). Second, the proc to generate temp hitpoints...does this happen often enough to be a significant and noticeable increase to overall survivability? Again, the spell point aspect of this is also not useful at this point. I really would love an item which gives me plusses to Charisma based skills for UMD, and it looks like I can add this. So...conc. opp. item on melee...good or a waste of ingredients?

I'm not exactly sure as I also wear a set of the CC Epic Cavalry Plate on my characters with a Conc Opp item, so I always assume the temp hps are coming from that. What you can do is make a set of Dragontouched PJs with +6 Chr and +3 Chr skills as a quick swap when you want to UMD. This is what I do with my Rogue. It's a lot of saved larges if you never bother to TR into anything with a bluebar, and runes are a lot easier to farm now that they're named in the chest.

[Truga]

Helmet IMO. Add toughness and superior false life on quorforged docent and you're set!

[-Zyxas-]

Helmet IMO. Add toughness and superior false life on quorforged docent and you're set!

Fleshies are a bit more difficult for toughness and gfl/sfl but I agree 100% for WF.

[RangerOne]

Working on bracers because I had none for a long time. Also some gloves, but I'm not sure what I'll put on them.

I had a mistakes which actually worked to my advantage. I don't know if I flubbed the recipe, or the recipe was flawed. Indicated I would get Stoneskin clickie (which I already had on another item) but got Summong Elemental instead. I was very pleased. I just hope it doesn't mess up third tier when I finally get that last scale.

One piece of advice: craft one at a time. I've got imbued shards that confound me as to what they are for since I worked on two weapons and two items at the same time. Finish one completely before making the shards for the next.