The Emerald v 2.0 Updated for U12 - Monk12/Fighter6/Paladin2

[Droken]

If you like this build, please rate it! =D


(I forgot GH in the above screenshot, so saves should be higher by 4. Also not using barkskin to make the avatar look prettier.)

Reproduction Difficulty: Extreme

This build is incredibly gear intensive and primarily for players who are willing to put in the time and dedication for a top notch melee. Even Kelida still has a few odd stats and a couple of items she's still missing. I'm going to skip the exact level by level break down of skill points, etc and make the assumption that anyone attempting this build already knows their way around the game.

The Emerald v 2.0 puts its predecessor to shame. With nearly double the dps, 15% damage mitigation, 25% incorporealty, and higher AC, this build represents the culmination of all my years of playing DDO, all the gear I have acquired, and my efforts towards making a viable AC tank.

Build Synopsis:

Monk 12
Touch of Death
15% Damage Mitigation
25% Incorporealty
3d6 Sneak Attack
55% Hate
Abundant Step
2d6 Base Damage
Improved Evasion
Full Str Bonus for Off-Hand Attacks
3 feats

Fighter 6
10% HP
4 Feats
25% Hate

Paladin 2
Aura 1
Cha to Saves

Feats:
Monk
Toughness
Toughness 2
Stunning Fist

Fighter
Two Weapon Fighting
Improved Two Weapon Fighting
Greater Two Weapon Fighting
Improved Critical: Blunt

General
Combat Expertise
Dodge
PL Monk
Toughness 3
Toughness 4
Toughness 5
Toughness 6

Stats:
Str 14
Dex 16
Con 14
Int 12
Wis 16
Cha 8

5 Level up points to Wis
This is based off 36 point buy. Reduce Dex and Wis to 15 for a 32 point character.

Gear in Use:
Adamantine Tier 3 Alchemical Handwraps Air/Air/Air
Icy Raiments
+4 to attack crafted goggles with large augment
Oremy's Ring with Holyburst
GS HP belt of Mineral
Epic Abashai Helm
Epic Abashai Bracers
Epic Abashai Boots
Epic Gloves of Claw
Epic Cloak of Night
Epic Seal of the Earth
Epic Grim's Bracelet
Epic Brawn's Spirits

Slotted Augments: Toughness, Heavy Fortification, +1 exceptional Dex, Con, Wis, Greater False Life, 6 con, 6 dex

Important Skills:
Intimidate
UMD
Concentration

Expendable Items:
Wand of Shield 10th
Wand of Recitation
Yugo Pot Wis
Yugo Pot Dex
Scrolls of Fireshield, Heal, Raise Dead

Enhancements:
Racial Toughness 3
Fighter Toughness 2
Ninja 2
Defender 1
Touch of Death
Half Elf Rogue Dex
Racial Dex
Racial Con
Greater Mountain Stance
Human Heal Amp 2
Monk Heal Amp 2

Suggested Race: Half Elf

Suggested Dilettant: Rogue

Build Summary:
The DPS of this build is insane, especially for an AC tank. I tested Kelida against Elsas (Marilith chain, ESoS with Devil's Ruin), a full ****** DPS barbarian from Zerg Tribe in Epic Devil Assault and got comparable kills. Kelida was actually leading the whole way until the final wave. Previously, Elsas would get about 3x my kills. With crafted wraps ~finally~ fixed after eons of waiting, and the introduction of the new and fully functional alchemical wraps, monks are now a force to be reckoned with. The Alchemical Wraps are the key to this build, and not completely difficult to create. With a DR breaker that also contains lightningstrike, double strike, insight AC, AND +10 stunning, you'll almost never have to switch to any other weapon.

With full stats to wisdom, you'll almost never fail a stunning fist attempt. After it lands, all damage is increased by 50%, including your Touch of Death and Lightning Strike procs. I was killing tieflings in EDA in about 2-3 seconds. With 2d6 base fist damage, full strength bonus for off hand attacks, no penalty for two weapon fighting, fists that essentially count as greataxes in earth stance, and innate 10% alacrity for unarmed attacks compared to any other weapon, there's little doubt that handwraps are the way to go for Update 12.

Despite the fact that this build can only be hit on a natural 20 for all non-epic raids except LoB Elite, the 25% incorporealty and 15% damage mitigation enhances the survivability even further. For epics, non-red named mobs don't stand a chance against the stunning fist DC. Full sneak attack damage on stunned mobs, which is 6d6 for a half elf dark monk.

With the Emerald v 2.0, you have a melee super tank with improved evasion, rediculous saves, epic stunner, and mad DPS powerhouse all rolled into one. Heal Amp is absurd. Heal scrolls land for 3-400. Chained by the LoB while standing in dog goo? No problem! Abundant Step. Knocked into the water? Abundant Step. 80% hate generation ~without~ items, Tough of Death, full intimidate ...

For leveling purposes, buy a pair of holy +10 stunning handwraps. They can be found relatively cheap. I have found that the dps surpasses duel wielding a pair of greensteel weapons due to the +50% damage and sneak attack effectiveness of stunned mobs.

As an alternative, take 2 artificer levels instead of paladin levels. UMD will be maxed for 100% heal and raise dead scrolls, rogue abilities for leveling up purposes, and ranged damage versatility for LoB pillars. Saves will be lowered substancially in trade however.

Item wise, you can squeeze out additional AC and +4 to hit by using Epic Raven's Sight with a Gem of Many Facets between when you have to intimidate if you slot your GS HP item to a belt instead with the only down side being no room for a Large Augment slot. I can already hit 97 AC self buffed, however, and the HP parameters of a monk tank are already quite far behind a fighter tank, so I try to keep my HP as high as possible to avoid being 1-shotted by an unlucky 1 roll on a Horoth Disintigrate or unlucky LoB Whirlwind attack.

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Taking build questions. Please leave your flames at the door.