Soloist Builds.

[Theodrek]

I am looking for a build to solo, I play with a group of people that (have lives) are less active than I am and I am in need of a fun character to Solo with.

I have: Low cash, Good weapons for most anything, all races, almost all classes (no artificer), 32 point builds, Veteran status (level 4 starters), No tomes.

I am looking for: A melee heavy build, preferably dual wield with solid survivability.

I would appreciate any builds but I will say in advance that I do not want to play the "warforged wizard" builds everyone throws at me when I ask in advice chat. I would also prefer to avoid ranger tempest builds as a main point, I have this crazy notion rangers should use bows. If hirelings are required to make the build viable, please say so.

I intend to solo the entirety of levels 4-20 on hard whenever possible, please keep that in mind!

Thank you in advance,
-Theodrek "Doc" Blacklight.

[Phidius]

When it comes to melee-focused builds with high survivability, I prefer the lion's share of the levels to be in the casting classes.

Arcane: WF 12 Wiz/6 Ranger/2 Thief
Divine: Helf 15 Cler/3 Monk/2 Fighter.

While they are indeed focused on melee, they both have casting resources to fall back on when they get overwhelmed.

[Adrian99]

Either 20 monk or 12 fighter / 8 monk gives best surivivability/dps for a melee, in my opinion. I agree that you should avoid caster-heavy splashes such as those suggested by the above poster. If you can afford wands/scrolls, go half-elf with cleric dilletante. If not, and you're going 20 monk, try half-elf with fighter dilletante. Or if you're going with the fighter split, dwarf or warforged, or half-elf with rogue dilletante. As for dwarf vs. warforged, I lean more towards warforged because of the blademark docent being so easy to get and providing a nice surivability boost. Lot of options, but good stunning abilities will keep you alive in most dire circumstances.

[Phidius]

... I agree that you should avoid caster-heavy splashes such as those suggested by the above poster...

Who are you agreeing with?

Don't worry, I'm sure there are countless people you are in agreement with - just couldn't resist pointing out that you and I are the only ones who replied so far.

[Seamonkeysix]

My most self-sufficient toon, with decent overall soloing capability has been a 20 WF FvS.

Cheap. No really difficult gear required. Tough as nails. Respectable DPS. Very Good DPS with DoTs and BB later.

Downfall is no trapping or unlocking skills...but in 95% of content, this is the toon that I would use if I wanted to solo and live.

[voodoogroves]

Yeah I'd totally roll a caster-type, but for the OP I'd go with either

(a) pure FVS
(b) cleric multi

Since he wants to dual-wield, I'd suggest a Monk 2 / Fighter 1 / Cleric 17. Half-Elf is a solid choice for the extra sneak damage from Rogue dilettante. Human also is quite strong, as is half-orc if he wanted to drop TWF and instead swing a falchion or somesuch.


1 Monk
some number of cleric levels
monk again as late as you can stand ... 13 or 14 maybe
fighter at any point after monk 2 / cleric 12

Feats
Monk: Toughness, Power Attack
Normal: Quicken, Maximize, Empower Healing, TxF, ITxF, GTxF, WHATEVER
Fighter: Improved Crit

Maybe
1 monk (Toughness bonus), TxF
2 cleric
3 cleric Empower Healing
4 cleric
5 cleric
6 cleric maximize
7 cleric (radiant servant 1 here)
8 cleric
9 cleric ITxF
10 cleric
11 cleric
12 cleric quicken
13 cleric (radiant servant 2 here, also blade barrier)
14 monk (bonus Power attack) ... also evasion
15 fighter (bonus improved crit), GTxF
16 cleric
17 cleric
18 cleric WHATEVER FEAT
19 cleric
20 cleric

[cforce]

Two important questions: how do you feel about hirelings, and do you want to run stuff on Elite?

If you like using them, and mostly solo stuff on Normal, just build whatever you want. You mentioned you were short on cash, and a pocket Cleric is way cheaper, and more effective, than wands or scrolls. If you do go this route, I'd only advise making sure that you pick a build with Intimidate as a class skill, as it makes it much easier to pull troubling aggro off the hireling.

Otherwise, if you don't want to spend much cash *and* don't want to use a hireling, I wouldn't advise trying to Scroll-heal your way through the experience. It works, but tends to be a strain on your bank account. People who mostly-group tend to forget that if you're *exclusively* healing yourself with stacks of scrolls or wands in every quest, cash flow is a real problem. Towards the end of the game, you'd likely be generating enough cash to buy ~15-20 heal scrolls for each quest you run. That might be enough, but the net positive is going to be a trickle.

The ways around this all involve a spell point bar. WF Wizards are one way, sure. If it's just *arcanes* you want to stay away from, then I'd go Favored Soul. These can be very melee focused, but still manage self healing while soloing harder difficulties without laying out any cash.

If that doesn't float your boat, the fallback I'd suggest is a mostly-Paladin build, the cheapest ones to self-heal outside of "primary caster" classes.

[Mark_G]

A couple more options for the OP--

I've had trouble getting past certain spots using cleric/(insert splash) builds who are melee focused as the OP desires. Perhaps that is just me, however. A couple of other thoughts--

1. Paladin--good saves, self healing, melee class. Going TWF, however, with a Paladin can be a bit taxing on your attribute scores. There are some very good TWF pure Paladin builds though.

2. Pure fighter. Feats are easy to come by for the TWF reqs. Will benefit from a hireling to keep you upright, however. Many folks get frustrated with the UI of hirelings. I've been pretty fortunate to avoid (most of) this frustration.

Good luck!!!

[Qezuzu]

I typed this up awhile ago, before U10 I think, but it's still all true.

I haven't made this toon yet, probably never will, but give it a try

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: 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, it should be able to kill something, right?

--Stealth: Stealth is raised to the max. 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.

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.

So here we have self-healing, evasion, stealth, effective CC capabilities, self-buffs, UMD, DPS, and the bard portion means that this less than optimal DPS build can get into raids that would want the bard buffs.

[Theodrek]

Awesome. Thank you all for the posts. I have some questions. Would a THF build be easier to make solo specs for?

I also want to make sure that It doesn't seem like I am opposed to Arcane casters, I just feel warforged wizards are overdone. I'm not opposed to picking up arcane levels for wand use, but I am not overly fond of scrolls and the somewhat clunky way they are used in this game.

I would dearly love to find a ranged ranger solo build but have so far been unsuccessful. That being said, priority is still a melee build, its just so fun to smash things into small piles of loot.

For pure builds suggested, could you provide a little more information? If its a prebuilt path provided by the game or some special thing you have come up with that works amazing I would just like to see.

I find the pure fighter suggestion especially intriguing, but I have had some absolutely horrible luck with hireling AI. I suppose just sticking one on follow and jockeying heals into me would work, but that seems a waste.

I noticed FvS seems to be suggested fairly frequently, would that be a sword and board, dual wield, or THF setup?

For the question of Elites, I would indeed like to solo Elites - just figured it would be far simpler to get a build for soloing hards. In my previous attempts to solo Elites the damage output of the monsters far outweighed my ability to self heal, in many cases simply one or two shotting me!

[GeneralDiomedes]

That being said, priority is still a melee build, its just so fun to smash things into small piles of loot.

Melee focused FvS certainly fits the bill. A WF is nice in this case, because you can take advantage of an arcane hireling that can haste and heal you. Also, the WF immunities are extremely handy when all by your lonesome.

[Mercureal]

I would dearly love to find a ranged ranger solo build but have so far been unsuccessful. That being said, priority is still a melee build, its just so fun to smash things into small piles of loot.

There are good ranged builds if that's what you want, but for a ranger there's no meaningful distinction between a solo/not-solo build. As in, there's no optimal build design that will give you a solo ranged ability, since the 'solo' part is a function of gear and playstyle/ability.

That said, if you want ranged ability combined with soloing competence there are several options.

A pure ranger AA gives you good ranged attacks, good melee, self-healing, self-buffing and stealth skills. You can splash another class or two for extras like rogue skills, if you're willing to give up the ranged capstone. I'm sure that there are other decent ranged builds based on other classes on the forums, using elf or half-elf to qualify for AA.

[thwart]

Look for a build called Half Elves Angel. It is a fighter/ranger/monk mix that uses AA for burst ranged DPS and then khopeshes for melee when the many shot is off. I have used that as a solo character and got to 10th level before I moved onto something else.

[Theodrek]

General, can you refer me to a melee FvS build? I'm having a hard time with the point spread. Do I ignore the charisma/wisdom I would usually prioritize and specialize in Str/Dex more like a barbarian?

[FrozenNova]

Run far, far away from any of Phidius' infamous creepy caster hybrids

As long as you have evasion with appropriate reflex, you can solo anything with a hireling, and most things without.
It's not really a worry of 'what's possible'.

(WF fvs: 12 cha, 16-18 con, rest strength.)

[Seikojin]

I think twf ranger/monk, tempest, may be your best. You have a heal line of spells, free twf feats, high dps, some self buffing, the monk splash will utilize a high wis to boost your ac to respectable levels for most content.

But if you want an ac that is even higher, you can go 18/2 stalwart or defender of syb + monk to have your evasion and really high ac. As a pally you would have some spells to help you out as well.

If you went stalwart, I may recommend rogue so you can skill UMD more appropriately enough to use higher end healing items/scrolls (as much as you hate them). Silver flame healing pots is also another alternative if you don't want to use scrolls and need better hp per drink.

[brucelee82]

Exploiter build
18 ranger 1 rogue 1 monk
gives twf and decent ranged damage evasion lock/traps and some casting/self heals. You can search the thread on it

[Mercureal]

General, can you refer me to a melee FvS build? I'm having a hard time with the point spread. Do I ignore the charisma/wisdom I would usually prioritize and specialize in Str/Dex more like a barbarian?

Here's a link to a widely-used melee FVS build, the Soul Survivor: http://forums.ddo.com/showthread.php...=soul+survivor

[cforce]

Here's what I'd consider the top melee FvS builds, all from Impaqt. He's done a lot of playtesting in the FvS area, and knows his stuff:

http://forums.ddo.com/showthread.php?t=243539 (pure FvS dual-wield)
http://forums.ddo.com/showthread.php?t=200561 (FvS/Monk 2)
http://forums.ddo.com/showthread.php?t=197770 (WF THF FvS)

If you like unarmed, this one of mine has been very good for solo/short-man play for me:
http://forums.ddo.com/showthread.php?t=240392 (Unarmed FvS/Monk)

All of those links are somewhat old, so take the enhancements with a grain of salt and re-analyze, but they're all good solo FvS templates, and can all make that jump back into end-game party play as well.

[aiastelmon]

If you're doing pure FvS, THF will be the only viable option due to lack of feats.

FvS would be my suggestion as well, specifically Sirgog's Soul Survivor:

http://forums.ddo.com/showthread.php?t=268346

Pure FvS gives you 10 DR at capstone (that stacks with WF enhances and feats) which is the main reason people stay pure, along with solid HP's and tons of SP's. The build also allows you to raid heal no problem when grouping. You can even theat tank very effectively. If you don't want that component, then yank out the brute fighting enhances and fit in the AoV1 Pre. This build also allows you to take more Con in initial build, and you gain access to WF Con enhances. Probably the most survivable build out there.

If you're set on dual wield, then you can do one of the many Half Elf 18 FvS / 2 Monk builds. You give up that 10 DR and any DR enhances, but pick up evasion and the extra feats necessary to dual wield. I would not do this if I were you, because your weakness will be to melee, and when solo, you're going to face a lot of melee. But if you play it carefully and take it slow, a well played one is very potent, and should yield more DPS than a Soul Survivor (unless he has an ESoS, in which case dual wielding scimi's is not going to measure up).

I think there are some very nice Clonk builds out there as well if you prefer a Cleric.