First character, solo -able, newbie friendly

[Mubjon]

Thanks to those who responded to my post(s) on topic. Much to (re)consider, much to test before I find what I like.

For the rest, glad I could provide a soapbox for you to opine about stuff.

And especially...


Warning duly noted.

However, unfortunately, in my case (and you don't know me - how could you?), that particular line in the sand may not be the best deterrent.


Assuming I keep playing (a safe bet), I'll repost here once I have the benefit of experience under my belt. For now, a caveat at the OP, and I'm off to take Firesmall's advice...

It was not a line in the sand, but when you get to the point that you cannot heal well, cannot grab those traps and take a couple minutes to kill 1 mob you will get bored and think that a Cleric is just a crappy class

I know I did that (Cleric/Rogue/Fighter) and ended up recreating the cleric into a pure cleric and had a blast and made it to level 12 (your goal) without a hitch and then decided to go to 20 and solo'd many quests without the rogue levels and without the fighter levels. You see the cleric is a solo-capable class without the multi-class and without spending real money on mana pots if you know DnD and bother to read the forums here to find out how much different PnP is compared to DDO.

I did what you were planning and taking those 3 non-cleric levels early. I did not have the reflex save to make it worthwhile to be a rogue with evasion or the necessary skill points to keep the disable device skill, concentration (that you need to cast while in combat til you taken quicken), search (even though the spell helps some you still need this skill if you do not know the quests well), and I did not have the melee capabilities of a fighter with my lower strength. I did not have the wisdom to be what parties expected of me and could not make it through a quest solo because of the time it took me to take out the mobs at level 10+. It became more of a grind to just come to the game and it was not fun for me.

Now you are right I do not know you, you might be one of those people that like to beat their head against a brick wall and take a full year to get to where you are going.

[C-Dog]

Thanks, Mub - I can tell that you really do care. If you didn't, you'd have blown me off and left me to my fate - I mean that, thanks.

This last response of yours is far more what I was initially hoping for than...

I guess what you wanted to hear was

HEY GREAT PLAN GO FOR IT MAN IT WILL ROCK EVERYONE'S WORLD!

I have not given up*, but I have taken much of the advice and critique here to heart. I'm going +Wisdom instead of +Strength, dropping a level of Fighter for Rogue 2 (to concentrate in exactly those sklls), and re-directing the enhancements more toward healing than Combat. And, if/when the solo thing hits a wall as predicted, will pro'ly re-spec the enhancements to be party oriented - using Turns to do "good work" for the party, something a solo just doesn't have use for.

And we'll just see if this one sinks or not.

(* http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nU2y6ztlMAQ )

(And, as promised in the OP edit, I'll post here - with whatever result I get. )

[Mubjon]

Thanks, Mub - I can tell that you really do care. If you didn't, you'd have blown me off and left me to my fate - I mean that, thanks.

This last response of yours is far more what I was initially hoping for than...


I have not given up*, but I have taken much of the advice and critique here to heart. I'm going +Wisdom instead of +Strength, dropping a level of Fighter for Rogue 2 (to concentrate in exactly those sklls), and re-directing the enhancements more toward healing than Combat. And, if/when the solo thing hits a wall as predicted, will pro'ly re-spec the enhancements to be party oriented - using Turns to do "good work" for the party, something a solo just doesn't have use for.

And we'll just see if this one sinks or not.

(* http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nU2y6ztlMAQ )

(And, as promised in the OP edit, I'll post here - with whatever result I get. )

Well sorry about the one I just love the class and I hate seeing it destroyed. There are many ways to play a cleric and once you can TR and get a few past lives and more importantly the build points for 34 and 36 pt builds that opens up a lot of multi-class variants for this class. I think this build would be better suited to a 36 pt build that way you have the points for the intelligence, Wisdom and Constitution minimum to make your life much easier than doing it on 28 pt.

Remember going rogue you need at least 14 intelligence on non-human to get the skill points you need to max disable device, concentration and 1 pt to search, each level (4 skill points). 16 on non-humans to max all three of those skills each level (5 skill points).

If you do that and keep those skills maxed out with the highest plus disable/search for your level equipment you can get, then you can get the traps on normal and hard and even some elite difficulties. There is no point in taking the rogue levels if you cannot keep the skills maxed each level that are important for grabbing them.

With going rogue 2 and Cleric 18 (if you get that far) I recommend taking the first level rogue (I am sure others have mentioned that as well) and then taking the last one at around 14 so that you can get radiant servant II before going into Giant hold or Necro IV (if you get those packs or have VIP).

I am not sure if you have built the character or not yet, but I do have a 1 rogue/5 cleric I started on a new server to farm some TP and I did the following for stats, now i have 32 pt builds that I purchased so it would have to be modified for you and 28 pts.

First I chose Halfling

Strength - 10
Dex - 16
Con - 14
Int - 14
Wis - 16
Chr - 8

All level ups to wisdom and the dex is there to help with the reflex save for evasion. With everything said and done the reflex save on the toon will be close to 30 if my math is right and you want over a 25 from my experience on normal/hard quests with other evasion toons I have had. Elite is a different ball game as this toon is my solo'ist mostly he will not be doing many hard/elite quests til after he levels and he goes back through to gather favor before TR.

The only thing I might want more of is Constitution starting at 16, but it is not that huge of a deal the toon should still be over 400+ by cap with gear.

[SirValentine]

Have u ever played a splash build or multi-class cleric? Looks like u went pure based on your quote. You must have a lot of grinded gear and epic gear because if you don't the sp will not be enough especially on a first life 28 point splash melee build at high level quests.

Melee Clerics have SP easy. Even with 400-500 fewer SP than a caster build, they have far less worries about SP. Do most of your healing with aura, bursts, while laying waste with your melee, and arrive at the shrine with 800 of your 1600 SP left. Or start with 2100 SP and throw lots of CC, insta-kills, and DPS spells around, and arrive at the shrine empty.

[SirValentine]

Character Design Goals:

• Newbie friendly - intuitive to use well, not too complex to play.
• Melee > Spells (as part of the first point, but not "pure" min/maxed melee)
• Solo-able - I don't expect to solo exclusively, but if I have to...
• basic OL & traps ability (as a part of the previous)
• Party-able - He won't win any popularity contests, but as the 6th man (and not pretending to be "The Healer")
• Not necessarily to 20th level, or even much past (high?-)middle levels (but bonus if possible)

All of those except newbie-friendly are achievable. It's not the most common build, but aiming towards a 17/2/1 isn't unknown or totally crazy. Not sure how well you'd pull it off on a 28-point build, or on a newbie player. Presumably ungeared?

I'm specifically looking for feedback re Feats and Enhancements, whether they'll work as placed, taken too late or too early, etc.,

I don't have time right this second to look it all over closely, but:

Quicken at level 6? Move it to level 15 or 18.

Where is Empower Healing? That's a pre-req for Radiant Servant, and you want Radiant Servant. Take it no later than your 6th Cleric level.

[SirValentine]

Solo tunes tend to not get invites.

Note that this is a major advantage.

And for when you want to party up, you sure don't need invites from others; you just start soloing the quest and throw up an LFM yourself marked "in progress". Nothing seems to attract good players faster.

(This is especially fun to do when someone else has a partially filled-group LFM up, standing around in Marketplace or something, and declines your request to join because they don't like your build. Then you're half done the quest before they even fill party and step in.)

[Mubjon]

Note that this is a major advantage.

And for when you want to party up, you sure don't need invites from others; you just start soloing the quest and throw up an LFM yourself marked "in progress". Nothing seems to attract good players faster.

(This is especially fun to do when someone else has a partially filled-group LFM up, standing around in Marketplace or something, and declines your request to join because they don't like your build. Then you're half done the quest before they even fill party and step in.)

It always amazes me when I group with a cleric on my mage or fighter and hear them say they were waiting for someone to post a quest that they wanted to do.

I always post the quest I want to do and if people want to come and do it great, otherwise I move along and solo it just fine especially after blade barrier and divine punishment.

C-dog I forgot to ask what server you were on, might have a character on that one in your level if you play the same time I do that is.

[C-Dog]

I landed on Thelanis. (Taking my time through Harbor & Cerulean Hills atm. Enjoying "the first time", so a bit of a tourist atm.)

[Mubjon]

I landed on Thelanis. (Taking my time through Harbor & Cerulean Hills atm. Enjoying "the first time", so a bit of a tourist atm.)

nice I think I still have a level 4 on that one that I did the 100 favor for to get the bonus TP on each server.

[C-Dog]

Heh, rereading what I said there, it's more accurate than I had realized. It's like...

Oooh - an orc! Nice depiction...

<plank!>

He hit me! Oh yeah, better kill him I guess... there'll be more... Oooh, - a wolf!...