Question on Crit and I wanna be a ninja!

[Messsenger]

First Question: does Kensei Specified Weapon Mastery III (+1 to crit range) stack with Improved Critical feat or Keen (double threat range)? Will my Heavy Pick ever have a 17-20 range; or a Falchion with 13-20? I know Keen and Imp. Crit don't but this example is way less OP. . . maybe not the Falchion example.

I was wondering if there were any build out there that support high mobility with tumbling and jumping, some good Dex for AC. I'm talking about a build that doesn't entirely suck. I currently have a regular premium account with only 32 point build and Vet. Status unlocked. It seems to me that the Rogue Prestige are mostly garbage (on paper, never tried them) although the Acrobat sounds like the play style I'm looking for . . . just not with a stick :\
Maybe a Tempest Ranger with some Kensei Fighter and a bit of Rogue for Tumble? Always like the idea of Arcane Archer too but I haven't figured out how to get crazy mobility out of a build without flushing it down the toilet.

If I could mix Str and Dex just right, possibly a TWF with Stunning Warhammers for auto-crit would be fun?

I hear Weapon Finesse is garbage but with Kensei III, Rapiers and Improved Critical Piercing? . . .still going to be weak sauce without Strength to back it up

Guess I just want something unusual and fun to play instead of the cookie-cutter builds that are tested true.

I'm sure I'm not the 1st person to juggle this idea but I haven't found a "good" build along this line. It seems that such a versatile and deep game would allow **** near any avenue of effective routes. Why is it hard to make a Ninja!?

[t0r012]

heavy pick crit with Improved crit and kensai III will be 18-20

A falchion with ic and kensaiIII is 14-20

It only takes a point in tumble to tumble and only a couple more if you want to wear armor.
and no matter how you slice it , tumble sucks. sure it is fun but time spent tumbling is time not swinging your weapon.

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but if you must tumble I'd suggest a tempest ranger build get your 13 dex and you are required to get dodge mobility and spring attack for your PRE. and you don't have to invest so heavily in dex cause you get all the TWF feats free.

[toughguyjoe]

As far as being a Ninja, putting some ranks into Tumble will help you do your flips, and jumping caps at 40, so getting a jump buff from a friendly party member is the best way, as it bumps up +10/+20/+30 depending on caster level.

As someone already mentioned, yes the Kensai crit range stacks with Keen or the correct improved critical feat.

For Ninja...I would suggest something like 12ftr/7mnk/1rog take Kensai up to tier II and Monk Ninja Spy up to tier I and dual wield shortswords as ki weapons. That should have a ninja type feel to it.

Handwraps are probably better DPS for that build, as it has the potential to have very devastating stunning fist/blow. You could use Stunning Blow with the Short Swords. but not Stunning fist if I remember correctly.

[Messsenger]

heavy pick crit with Improved crit and kensai III will be 18-20

A falchion with ic and kensaiIII is 14-20

It only takes a point in tumble to tumble and only a couple more if you want to wear armor.
and no matter how you slice it , tumble sucks. sure it is fun but time spent tumbling is time not swinging your weapon.

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but if you must tumble I'd suggest a tempest ranger build get your 13 dex and you are required to get dodge mobility and spring attack for your PRE. and you don't have to invest so heavily in dex cause you get all the TWF feats free.

Thanks for the clarification on the Crit range, they do stack just in the order to make the lowest possible outcome. Awesome either way; always wondered what a Kensei III's swings looked like as far as numbers.

Any suggestions for weapons?? I know everyone drools over Khopesh due unique multiplier and range but what else is juicy that may be overlooked by a noob like me?
I'm curious about how well the Bastard Sword does with S&B (not for ninja route obviously) but cool that a 1hand does glancing without being a dwarf.

On the tumble subject, guess I was floored by wiki stating that with a high enough tumble one travels like they are hasted . . . by diving and flipping; very cool, but that's all, just cool.

[Messsenger]

As far as being a Ninja, putting some ranks into Tumble will help you do your flips, and jumping caps at 40, so getting a jump buff from a friendly party member is the best way, as it bumps up +10/+20/+30 depending on caster level.

As someone already mentioned, yes the Kensai crit range stacks with Keen or the correct improved critical feat.

For Ninja...I would suggest something like 12ftr/7mnk/1rog take Kensai up to tier II and Monk Ninja Spy up to tier I and dual wield shortswords as ki weapons. That should have a ninja type feel to it.

Handwraps are probably better DPS for that build, as it has the potential to have very devastating stunning fist/blow. You could use Stunning Blow with the Short Swords. but not Stunning fist if I remember correctly.

I wondered about Monk and glanced at some of the detail, but Like I mentioned I don't have the class unlocked. I'm prolly only going to have 2 serious characters and am trying to focus the "purchases" on only what I really "need".

From the looks of things tho, Monk is a serious go-to class for splashing. Guess I don't understand all of the Monk's mechanics yet . . . Wisdom for AC, not a fan of any Wisdom powered classes . . . . I like to use different weapons and gear, treasure hunting is fun. . . . .

I like the idea of playing the crit happy stunner!
Is a monk for me; for a prestige or even for a splash?

[unbongwah]

It seems to me that the Rogue Prestige are mostly garbage (on paper, never tried them)

Assassins get +3D6 SA and two different forms of instakill - you're right, they totally suck.

If I could mix Str and Dex just right, possibly a TWF with Stunning Warhammers for auto-crit would be fun?

Helplessness, inc. Stunning Blow, no longer provides auto-crits; instead you get +50% dmg to them. So it's still useful and fun to Stun enemies, but it's no longer the instawin it once was. [And it meant the end of heavy picks' time in the sun in epics.]

I like the idea of playing the crit happy stunner!
Is a monk for me; for a prestige or even for a splash?

A tactics-oriented, possibly WIS-based pure light monk might fit the bill. Highest base run speed in DDO (+30% @ lvl 18), various stuns like Stunning Fist & Kukan-Do, good AC, some healing & buffing capabilities from light finishers, and Tumble as a class skill if you really wanna do backflips. I guess the main drawback gear-wise is being limited to robes & handwraps; can make gearing one up a PITA compared to, say, a pure barb who just grabs whatever's the biggest 2H weapon he can find.

[Messsenger]

Assassins get +3D6 SA and two different forms of instakill - you're right, they totally suck.
Helplessness, inc. Stunning Blow, no longer provides auto-crits; instead you get +50% dmg to them. So it's still useful and fun to Stun enemies, but it's no longer the instawin it once was. [And it meant the end of heavy picks' time in the sun in epics.]

A tactics-oriented, possibly WIS-based pure light monk might fit the bill. Highest base run speed in DDO (+30% @ lvl 18), various stuns like Stunning Fist & Kukan-Do, good AC, some healing & buffing capabilities from light finishers, and Tumble as a class skill if you really wanna do backflips. I guess the main drawback gear-wise is being limited to robes & handwraps; can make gearing one up a PITA compared to, say, a pure barb who just grabs whatever's the biggest 2H weapon he can find.

I just learned about the lack of auto-crit for stuns now so yeah, no more picks and from what I've read the combat actions like Stunning Blow and Improved Trip and not so effective in endgame content so prolly not going to go that route at all now So much for a theme!

As far as Rogue: the assassin line was the only one that got my attention and I could see great value in it . . . If I grouped more often. I imagine well built sneak attackers do insane damage when someone else can hold aggro; unfortunately in my (very limited) grouping experience so far I was thinking of a class that would be fun to rush to 20 and reincarnate into something more serious for the next life's endgame experience . . and focus more on grouping then. Is there a way for sneak attack to be effective soloing? Once you pull a group there is no way to sneak attack again is there?

[Razcar]

Is there a way for sneak attack to be effective soloing? Once you pull a group there is no way to sneak attack again is there?

There's several ways to use Sneak Attack solo. You can use the Bluff skill, the Improved Feint feat (expensive), a weapon with the Deception effect, you can blind the target (either through a blinding weapon such as Greensteel Radiance II or UMD a spell that blinds - Sleet Storm, Blindness etc), or you can use a hireling or summon to grab aggro. But sure, it is usually harder to pull off Sneak Attacks solo than in a group, especially without a Radiance II weapon.

although the Acrobat sounds like the play style I'm looking for . . . just not with a stick :\

It's a stupid myth that you "have to" use a quarter staff with the Acrobat PrE. You do not - Acrobat works fine with any weapon. It's a good 12-13 level Rogue split PrE and you can use it succesfully while happily forgetting about q-staffs altogether.