Blitz tactical feat choice

[karl_k0ch]

I'm currently leveling a 1st life Khopesh Blitz build in order to get a feeling for Fighter and Barb playstyle, and to try out the tactical feats. I'm using a WF, so this fits nicely to the tactical thingy.

The total number of feats available is 14 (7 regular, 7 from 12 fighter), and most of them are already fixed:

3*TWF
1*Toughness
WF, WS, GWS: Slash
Khopesh
Cleave
Power Attack
IC: Slash

This leaves me with 3 feats to play with. Amongst my weaponry are such diverse elements as:

Stunning Blow
Improved Sunder
Quickdraw
OTWF
Sap
Hamstring

Originally, I planned to take Stunning Blow, Quickdraw and OTWF, but with the changes to the tactical feats, I'm leaning towards the bolded ones. Any thoughts?

[Viisari]

I'd go with stunning blow, improved sunder and probably hamstring while it still works on bosses.

Had the first two and SF:umd on my own blitz, OTWF isn't really needed on a blitz when you're fully raged and surged (though to hit can be a problem in epics if you're trying to save them for a boss fight or something, atleast it was for my legend blitz with one fighter PL)

Quickdraw isn't as good as the other feats listed and sap can't be used reliably while pugging.

Improved trip was useless in epics in the past, the changes to deneith docent (+15 vertigo) might have changed that but I somehow doubt it. Improved trip also has Combat Expertise as a prerequisite so it's out anyway. The feat needs some looking at anyway, 2 feats for +4 dc on an ability that doesn't work in endgame content is silly.

[karl_k0ch]

Thanks for your opinion. I just realized the trip thing myself when I wanted to make a reference build in the planner.

So it's basically Hamstring vs. Quickdraw. I'll have a while to think about this.

Just for reference (mainly my own ) here's the build. Int tome at 4 because I used vet status.

Character Plan by DDO Character Planner Version 3.7.3 (Pre-Release)
DDO Character Planner Home Page

Level 20 True Neutral Warforged Male
(12 Fighter \ 6 Barbarian \ 2 Rogue) 
Hit Points: 396
Spell Points: 0 
BAB: 19\19\24\29\29
Fortitude: 18
Reflex: 12
Will: 4

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
Abilities        Base Stats          Modified Stats
(32 Point)       (Level 1)             (Level 20)
Strength             17                    24
Dexterity            15                    17
Constitution         18                    20
Intelligence          9                    10
Wisdom                6                     6
Charisma              6                     6

Tomes Used
+1 Tome of Intelligence used at level 4
+2 Tome of Dexterity used at level 7

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
                 Base Skills         Modified Skills
Skills           (Level 1)            (Level 20)
Balance               2                     5
Bluff                -2                     0
Concentration         4                     7
Diplomacy            -2                     0
Disable Device       n/a                    n/a
Haggle               -2                    -2
Heal                 -2                    -2
Hide                  2                     3
Intimidate           -2                    23
Jump                  7                    11
Listen               -2                    -2
Move Silently         2                     3
Open Lock             n/a                   n/a
Perform              n/a                   n/a
Repair               -1                     0
Search               -1                     0
Spot                 -2                    -2
Swim                  3                     7
Tumble                n/a                   4
Use Magic Device     n/a                   21

Level 1 (Fighter)
Skill: Jump (+4)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Power Attack
Feat: (Selected) Weapon Focus: Slashing Weapons


Level 2 (Fighter)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+0.5)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Cleave


Level 3 (Fighter)
Skill: Intimidate (+1)
Feat: (Selected) Stunning Blow


Level 4 (Fighter)
Skill: Intimidate (+1)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Weapon Specialization: Slashing Weapons


Level 5 (Fighter)
Skill: Intimidate (+2)


Level 6 (Fighter)
Skill: Intimidate (+2)
Feat: (Selected) Toughness
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Two Weapon Fighting


Level 7 (Fighter)
Skill: Intimidate (+2)


Level 8 (Fighter)
Skill: Intimidate (+2)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Improved Critical: Slashing Weapons


Level 9 (Fighter)
Skill: Intimidate (+2)
Feat: (Selected) Exotic Weapon Proficiency: Khopesh


Level 10 (Fighter)
Skill: Intimidate (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+0.5)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Improved Two Weapon Fighting


Level 11 (Fighter)
Skill: Intimidate (+1)
Skill: Tumble (+0.5)


Level 12 (Fighter)
Skill: Intimidate (+1)
Skill: Tumble (+0.5)
Feat: (Selected) Greater Two Weapon Fighting
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Greater Weapon Specialization: Slashing Weapons


Level 13 (Rogue)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+8)


Level 14 (Rogue)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+8)


Level 15 (Barbarian)
Skill: Intimidate (+2)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)
Feat: (Selected) Improved Sunder


Level 16 (Barbarian)
Skill: Intimidate (+2)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)


Level 17 (Barbarian)
Skill: Balance (+0.5)
Skill: Intimidate (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)


Level 18 (Barbarian)
Skill: Balance (+0.5)
Skill: Intimidate (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)
Feat: (Selected) Hamstring


Level 19 (Barbarian)
Skill: Balance (+0.5)
Skill: Intimidate (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)


Level 20 (Barbarian)
Skill: Balance (+0.5)
Skill: Intimidate (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)
Enhancement: Fighter Attack Boost I
Enhancement: Fighter Attack Boost II
Enhancement: Barbarian Damage Boost I
Enhancement: Barbarian Damage Boost II
Enhancement: Fighter Extra Action Boost I
Enhancement: Fighter Haste Boost I
Enhancement: Fighter Haste Boost II
Enhancement: Fighter Haste Boost III
Enhancement: Fighter Haste Boost IV
Enhancement: Barbarian Sprint Boost I
Enhancement: Barbarian Extend Rage I
Enhancement: Barbarian Extend Rage II
Enhancement: Barbarian Extra Rage I
Enhancement: Barbarian Extra Rage II
Enhancement: Barbarian Hardy Rage I
Enhancement: Barbarian Power Attack I
Enhancement: Barbarian Power Rage I
Enhancement: Barbarian Power Rage II
Enhancement: Barbarian Frenzied Berserker I
Enhancement: Kensei Khopesh Mastery I
Enhancement: Kensei Khopesh Mastery II
Enhancement: Fighter Critical Accuracy I
Enhancement: Fighter Critical Accuracy II
Enhancement: Fighter Kensei I
Enhancement: Fighter Kensei II
Enhancement: Fighter Strategy (Stunning Blow) I
Enhancement: Fighter Strategy (Sunder) I
Enhancement: Fighter Strategy (Sunder) II
Enhancement: Fighter Khopesh Specialization I
Enhancement: Racial Toughness I
Enhancement: Racial Toughness II
Enhancement: Racial Toughness III
Enhancement: Rogue Sneak Attack Training I
Enhancement: Barbarian Constitution I
Enhancement: Fighter Strength I
Enhancement: Fighter Strength II
Enhancement: Fighter Toughness I
Enhancement: Fighter Toughness II
Enhancement: Warforged Constitution I
Enhancement: Warforged Healer's Friend I
Enhancement: Warforged Healer's Friend II
Enhancement: Warforged Power Attack I
Enhancement: Warforged Tactics I

[Viisari]

Should always take rogue level first imo, you get tons of skill points that way. Just having 4 ranks in open locks for example lets you open almost every lock in the game. When I did my blitz my levels went rogue-> 12 fighter-> rogue-> rest barb.

Blitz was pretty fun to play and stupidly versalite because of umd, evasion, ability to tank well and very high dps. I dislike rage though so probably won't roll one again.

[karl_k0ch]

Should always take rogue level first imo, you get tons of skill points that way.

This is true if you are interested in taking multiple rogue skills. With the current build, I get to boost UMD by 16 by taking the rogue levels that late. If I went 1 Rogue 2-13 Fgt 14 Rogue, or similar, the rogue levels would have granted me only 4 + 8 = 12 UMD points.

If you have more than one skill which is a class skill for rogue only, then taking rogue at 1st level is a good idea, ideed.

And taking the time to go through it again shows that with my level split I'm actually a few skill points behind:
(Ranks only):

12 Fgt, then 2 Rog, then 6 Brb:
23 UMD
23 Intimidate
4 Jump
2 Balance
1 Tumble

vs.

1 Rog, 12 Fgt, 1 Rog, 6 Barb

23 UMD
23 Intimidate
4 Jump
5 Balance
1 Tumble
4 Open Lock

Do some extra points in Open Lock warrant a LR+1, I wonder. I think, no.

[Quikster]

Have you used quickdraw before? If you have then you can try hamstring out for a while and see how you like it then switch if you like.

Personally I would take quickdraw. I like the fun factor in it. I get sad when I go play a char that has hasteboost without it