Solo-only, Challenge-only journal

[GuntherBovine]

I have run an untwinked toon that is mostly self-found solo-only and I found him a very interesting and fun - he required a lot strategy to be quests. Taking it to another level, I am going to run an untwinked toon that is mostly self-found solo-only and will only do challenges.

[GuntherBovine]

I am going to be running a Warforged Wiz Rogue. Eventually, I hope to have 18 levels of Wizard and 2 levels of Rogue (taken at 1 and 9).

Why a Warfroged Wiz Rogue?
For the following reasons:
Self-healing - When soloing, self-healing is huge. Yes, I could bring a cleric hireling to heal me, but as challenges scale up significantly for hirelings, it makes much more sense to able to heal myself

Speed - As all challenges are timed, it is vital to get around as quickly as possible. With a Wiz Rogue, I can keep Exp Retreat cast on me at all times

Challenge items - Many of the items you can get for turning in Challenge ingredients buff Wizard spells. So a Wiz Rogue maximize the value of such items

Other builds considered
I considered a light monk. It would have self-healing and speed, though not as good as a Wiz Rogue. However, the Challenge items for a monk just aren't that exciting

Character Plan by DDO Character Planner Version 03.12.01
DDO Character Planner Home Page

Gunthchallng Bovine
Level 4 Neutral Good Warforged Male
(1 Rogue \ 3 Wizard) 
Hit Points: 70
Spell Points: 260 
BAB: 1\1
Fortitude: 5
Reflex: 2
Will: 1

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
Abilities        Base Stats          Modified Stats
(32 Point)       (Level 1)             (Level 4)
Strength             14                    14
Dexterity             8                     8
Constitution         18                    18
Intelligence         18                    20
Wisdom                6                     6
Charisma              6                     6

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
                 Base Skills         Modified Skills
Skills           (Level 1)            (Level 4)
Balance               3                    -2
Bluff                 2                     2
Concentration         4                    10
Diplomacy            -2                    -2
Disable Device        8                    10
Haggle                2                     2
Heal                 -2                    -2
Hide                  3                    -2
Intimidate            1                     1
Jump                  6                     1
Listen               -2                    -2
Move Silently         3                    -2
Open Lock             3                     3
Perform              n/a                   n/a
Repair                8                     9
Search                8                    11
Spot                 -2                    -2
Swim                  2                    -8
Tumble                0                    -5
Use Magic Device      2                     5

Level 1 (Rogue)
Skill: Balance (+4)
Skill: Bluff (+4)
Skill: Disable Device (+4)
Skill: Haggle (+4)
Skill: Hide (+4)
Skill: Intimidate (+3)
Skill: Jump (+4)
Skill: Move Silently (+4)
Skill: Open Lock (+4)
Skill: Repair (+4)
Skill: Search (+4)
Skill: Tumble (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+4)
Feat: (Selected) Adamantine Body


Level 2 (Wizard)
Skill: Concentration (+4)
Skill: Disable Device (+1)
Feat: (Wizard Bonus) Augment Summoning
Spell (1): Expeditious Retreat
Spell (1): Feather Fall
Spell (1): Jump
Spell (1): Master's Touch
Spell (1): Nightshield
Spell (1): Protection From Evil
Spell (1): Repair Light Damage


Level 3 (Wizard)
Skill: Concentration (+2)
Skill: Search (+2)
Feat: (Selected) Toughness
Spell (1): Shield
Spell (1): Summon Monster I


Level 4 (Wizard)
Ability Raise: INT
Skill: Use Magic Device (+3)
Spell (2): Bull's Strength
Spell (2): Repair Moderate Damage
Enhancement: Rogue Haste Boost I
Enhancement: Racial Toughness I
Enhancement: Reconstructive Spellcasting I
Enhancement: Mighty Reconstruction I
Enhancement: Repair Manipulation I
Enhancement: Repair Manipulation II
Enhancement: Wizard Energy of the Scholar I
Enhancement: Wizard Intelligence I
Enhancement: Warforged Damage Reduction I
Enhancement: Warforged Inscribed Armor I

Discussion of build
Early levels, the toon will play as a buffed melee. Adamantine Body provides DR and solid AC. Augment Summoning significantly strengths my summons. A summons in helpful in killing stuff and also watching my back when I am busy doing something else. Toughness provides much needed hit points. The enhancements are about maximizing hit points, spell points and the effectiveness of my Repair spells.

When he hits level 7, I will drop the Adamantine Body, pick up Archmange and spam Magic Missile.

[GuntherBovine]

I did the first 4 levels on the ship as above. I took the Wizards gear set and a +1 Starter Greatswrod. So my gear is::
Hat - None
Necklace - Archivist's Necklace
Goggles - Archivist's Goggles
Trinket - None
Armor - Initiate's Docent
Cloak - Curative Cloak
Bracers - None
Belt - Girdle of Lesser Fortitude
Rings - Engraved Ring
Boots - Winter Boots
Gloves - Arcane Gloves

I then went into a bar, equiped gear and selected spells. My spells were:
Expeditious Retreat
Master's Touch
Summon Monster I
Shield
Bull's Strength
Repair Moderate Damage

I then went to the Harbor and talked to Mara to get my Small Collectables Bag and my Small Gem Bag. I talked to Felix d'Cannith in the Harbor to get a Tiny Ingredients Bag. I then went to Jeanselme Brucetius in the Tower of the Twelve in The Twelve Enclave to get a Small Ingredients Bag. Finally, I went to the House Cannith Enclave and talked to Kariya ir'Vannis to get the token of the day

[Jaid314]

it seems likely this will get horrendously dull for you. i'm sure it's possible, but you'll only have a very small selection of things you can run.

[GuntherBovine]

Run #1 - Level 4 Kobold Chaos
I started with Kobold Chaos following the guide from here:

:
I usually start with Extractor 2 (south - behind you as you enter) rather than Extractor 1 (straight ahead) simply because going 2-3-4-1 seems easier than 1-4-3-2, and doesn't backtrack quite as much as 1-2-3-4 would.

Start, turn around, hit the kobold camp and in the hollow, start up 2, hit the kobold camps to the west while 10 crystals extract, build a turret and set it up a bit away (angled towards the beach, rather than trying to cover the hollow. You're not gonna hit any archers there anyway, and towards the beach lets it get archers coming from that direction).

Go up the hill to #3, start it and buy another turret, setting it up a bit to the NW to try to cover at least one side, then go due north and clear out the two camps and altar. Head west and start up #4, then build a turret against the bluff (it would probably work at least as well on the beach side of it, but that would require going around *g*)

Follow the path to #1, hitting the two altars on the way, and start it up... then hang out to upgrade it, THEN build a turret, and head back to #2. In Kobold Chaos (if I'm going for XP as well as ingredients) I'll run up to the SW altar and hit it, then upgrade #2, then #3, then #4.

KC for XP, I'll run up and around to the final altar in the NW and then jump down and kill the redname protecting it (unless it's the wheep or water ele, then I'm just as apt to go to the NE large). As soon as I get 300, I'll start up the large even if I'm still fighting the redname - worst case, it takes a bit of damage and I get a bunch of free shots.

It's pretty much guaranteed (except on Disruptor, when I might not even start up a large) that I'll upgrade to L2, and a 95% certainty for L3, so a little bit of damage is fine - extractors (and turrets, for that matter) get totally repaired when you level it up.
:
Also, once you start that large up... don't worry about the smalls. At all. MAYBE go hit the nearest one if it starts getting in trouble, the large has a good supply of HP left, and/or you're going to upgrade it again anyway... but that's it.

I got 3 stars (Extract 500 Dragonshards, Destroy the Lantern Archon, Desecrate 6 Kobold Idols), 3300 xp, 427 Crude Talismans and 2 Supply Chests. The Supply Chests gave me 23 plat, a Cloak of Resistance +1 and a Masterwork Scepter. I got the Large Extractor upgraded once but the mobs knocked it out with like a minute left. Only one of the Small Extractors got knocked out and I restarted it once the Large went down.

Some things I would have done differently:
* I should have picked up a fifth Magefire Cannon for the Large Extractor and I didn't. I may have been able to keep the Large Extractor up for the full time if I had
* When I saw that the boss guarding the NE Large was a Water Elemental, I went to the NW Large. I should have just fought the Water Elemental as a later one I fought wasn't too bad

Run #2 - Level 4 Behind the Door
I used the guide here. My steps were:
* Turn right at the first intersection and clear out the rooms there
* Go back to the first intersection and go North, clearing out all the rooms upstairs and coming down the Eastern staircase
* North from there hugging the left wall to avoid the first Warforged portrait to the first door
* Go to the Gallery and clear out both sides of the staircase on the ground floor and then up the stairs and left. Once I am facing South, I hit tab to see if there are any crests at the South end of the Gallery. I continue South, grab the crests by the shrine and then get the crests if any at the South end. Then I jump down and go South
* In the courtyard, I check for the crest under the stairs. I ignore the smashables on the ground floor. I go up the ramp to the second level, look North for a crest, head South and make my way around to the other side of the "U". I jump from there to the ramp to the third floor. I go right and make my way around to the East door, which I open but don't go through. I then go to the South door and go through it
* I enter the Library and turn right and go up a ramp to look for a crest. I then come down and go East and up a ramp to smash a bookshelf and check for a crest. I then go down and head East, getting the crest on top of the bookcase and jumping down from there
* I go North and down the ramp to the Ritual Chamber, checking for the crest and smashing stuff. Up the ramp, North, East and then down the ramps to the bottom, where I kill the two mobs there
* In the Bath House, I go up the ramp, grab the two crests and then jump down from there. I kill the Water Elemental, smash stuff and then go through the door East
* I go down the hallway, left at the intersection and then go down the two ramps to clear out those areas, then South to the intersection and then East
* At the Observatory, I pop the door East then I run back to the Shrine in the Bath House and rest
* I go through the South Door, unlock the door and clear out that locked room, run down the hallway to the next locked door and clear out that locked room. I then head North. When I see stairs, I go up them, throw the switch, search for a crest. I then go down the stairs, throw the other switch, clear out the space to the left and exit North
* At the Back Door, I smash the two barrels, dive into the water to find the three crests, pop out on the far dock, go through the door, kill Smiling Sam, search for the secret door, grab the crests there, leave the Assassin's Crib and go back to the Back Door
* I go North, up the stairs to a switch, search for a crest, back down the stairs and East. I kill the mobs, clear the smashables in the hallway corner, North to the door and through
* I turn right and enter the Boudoir, where I kill Mistress Temptia. Then West back to the Observatory
* I went to the North door but didn't have enough crests to get through. I did the Observatory puzzle for about 3 minutes until I ran out of time

I got 1 star (Defeated a boss), 1760 xp, 400 Antique Coins and 1 Supply Chest. The Supply Chest gave me 19.2 plat and +1 Cold Touch Bastard Sword. I then noticed that I had found a Skeleton Crest which would have gotten me through the door that stumped me. I sold the Bastard Sword and junk I got from smashables to take me up to 99 plat. Money is clearly going to be a problem.

I then turned in 400 Crude Talismans and 400 Antique Coins for a Ring of the Master Artifice. This is the best level 4 item for me as it gives me 30 more SP's, boosts my Repair spells and gives me a free Repair Light Damage cast per rest

Run #3 - Level 4 Behind the Door
Same approach, I couldn't get through the same door when I had no Scorpion crests when I needed two. Before the run, I discovered something on DDO Wiki about how to do the Observatory puzzle, but I wasn't making much progress. I went back to the Bath House and searched for the secret door. I killed the mobs that followed me, got two Scorpion crests from them but it was too late to do anything else. I got 1 star (Defeated a boss), 1340 xp, 402 Antique Coins and 2 Supply Chests. The Supply Chests gave me a +1 Wise Helm, a Wand of Bear Endurance and a +1 Mace. After I sold the trash I had found, my wealth was up to 180 plat.

I started wondering if I was using the right approach as I had come up short twice. I decided to do the following differently:
* Smash all the smashables on the ground floor of the Courtyard
* Take Feather Fall instead of Summon Monster. I may be losing crests because the summons is killing mobs that I should be killing. Also, there are places in Dr. Rushmore where I can gain time if I use Feather Fall instead of running down ramps

The next Challenge item I want is Bracers of Wind, which doesn't require any Antique Coins. I used the Antique Coins I had instead to buy a Minor Experience Elixir and 10 Potions of Jumping.

Run #4 - Level 4 Kobold Chaos
I got 3 stars (Extract 500 Dragonshards, Destroy the Lantern Archon, Desecrate 6 Kobold Idols), 1140 xp, 673 Crude Talismans and 2 Supply Chests. The Supply Chests gave me 50 Masterwork Thieves' Tools, a Dagger, a Ring of Performing +3 and 20 Bolts. I had forgetten to chug the Minor Experience Elixir so I didn't get the xp boost. I did like before except this time I remembered to get the fifth Magefire Cannon. Also, I didn't clear the altar North of #3 until I was on my way to the Large Extractor. I was right at 3:20 left when I upgraded the Large a second time. I strongly considered upgrading the Magefire Cannon to level 2 and going to another Large Extractor. Later, a Scrag took at the Magefire Cannon when it had full health, so I am glad I stayed. No smalls went down.

Run #5 - Level 4 Circles of Power
* Throughout the quest, when I heard "Incoming" I beamed back to home as quickly as I could, killed the mobs and then beamed back
* I turned around, grabbed the two torches, talked to the Foreman to get a teleporter, turned right at the home intersection and grabbed the two torches and headed East
* I killed the scorpions in the hallway and killed the Drow at the end of the hallway. There was a magic circle there so I set down the teleporter. There were purples in the hallway between the scorpions and the Drow, so I laid torches to them. I should have cleared to the North of the magic circle as a scorpion killed one of the Kobolds while I was laying torches
* I went back to the teleporter, killed the scropions around the magic circle and then beam backed to the entrance. I grabbed the rest of the torches, hired 5 Kobolds and bought a second teleporter. I then warped back to the first teleporter
* There were purples in the cave South of the magic circle, so I cleared the scorpions out of there. The purples in the hallway were gone at this point, so I pulled up the torches there and laid them to the cave. I put a teleporter in the cave to speed things up
* I then went North and then West from the magic circle to explore. There wasn't a magic circle North of the first one. I didn't see any purples down this section and not a lot of greens. I got to the T and looked North and saw nothing up there. I gave up on the East side of the map
* I went back to the cave and once the purples were all gone, I pulled up the torches and the teleporters and headed back to the home intersection
* I went North this time, killing scorpions. The first magic circle was there, so I set down a teleporter and laid torches North. There were a lot of purples in this section
* I continued down the hallway until I got to the large room with North and South exits. No magic circle there this time. I killed all the scorpions then laid out my remaining torches and my second teleporter
* I went South, killing some scorpions in the hallway. When all the purples were gone from where the torches were, I pulled the torches and the teleporters and continued South. I killed a Scorrow and got up on a bridge - no magic circle there and no purples in that section. I continued West into an arena and killed the scorpions and Scorrow there. There was a magic circle there so I set down a teleporter and laid torches West where there were lots of purples
* While the Kobolds were clearing that section, time ran out

I got 3 stars (Collect 150 crystals, Collect 300 crystals above your quota, Do not buy any torches), 367 above quota, 435 Obsidian Arrowheads, 800 xp and 1 Supply Chest. The Supply Chest gave me some money and a +1 Heavy Repeating Crossbow. I traded in 400 Obsidian Arrowheads and 400 Crude Talismans for a Bracers of Wind. My stock of Challenge ingredients is now 202 Antique Coins, 35 Obsidian Arrowheads and 297 Crude Talismans. Spare Hand is the next Challenge item on my list and it takes 400 each of Obsidian Arrowheads and Crude Talismans. The other Challenge items I want are Rock Boots(400 each of Obsidian Arrowheads and Crude Talismans) and Blasting Chime (400 each of Antique Coins and Crude Talismans), so I need 198 more Antique Coins, 765 more Obsidian Arrowheads and 903 more Crude Talismans.

Run #6 - Level 4 Kobold Chaos
I got 2 stars (Extract 500 Dragonshards, Desecrate 6 Kobold Idols), 1160 xp, 490 Crude Talismans and 2 Supply Chests. The Supply Chests gave me Hat of Haggling +3 and a +1 Shocking Touch Quarterstaff. I did like run #4 except I left the Large Extractor with a Mage Cannon and started a second one. I lost one small and the first Large. I should have upgraded the Mage Cannon before leaving first Large

Run #7 - Level 4 Circles of Power
* A really bad run. I got 2 stars (Collect 150 crystals, Do not buy any torches), 129 above quota, 201 Obsidian Arrowheads, 1427 xp and 1 Supply Chest. The Supply Chest gave a +1 Full Plate. I went East, looped North and then West. I then made the bad decision to go North from there. There was a Magic Circle there, but no purples. I picked up the Teleporter and kept going North. I came upon a shrine, lots of Scorrow but no Magic Circle. I dropped down the waterfall and then started South. By the time I found a Magic Circle, all the Kobolds including the Foreman were dead. I just wandered around after that

Run #8 - Level 4 Circles of Power
* I didn't complete. I had cleared out the East and had gotten my quota. I went back to the entrance and then North. There were no purples there so I jumped off the bridge, landed in some lava and instantly died. I released

Run #9 - Level 4 Circles of Power
* A really bad run. I got 2 stars (Collect 150 crystals, Do not buy any torches), 79 above quota, 172 Obsidian Arrowheads, 1239 xp and 1 Supply Chest. The Supply Chest gave a +1 Breastplate. I went East, looped North and then West - no purples. I went back to the entrance and went North. I went to the T and still no purples. I went South from the "T" and there was a Magic Circle on the bridge and another in the Arena, but no purples. I went back to the "T" and went North. There two alcoves from there had purples. I went down the hallway East downward and again no purples. I went to the Arena and put the teleporter down there. I had a very tough time getting the teleporter in the Magic Circle. I went West from there and there were purples. However, time ran out before the Kobolds got to there

I had enough ingredients to get a Spare Hand. My stock of Challenge ingredients is now 202 Antique Coins, 387 Crude Talismans and 8 Obsidian Arrowheads.

Run #10 - Level 4 Kobold Chaos
I got 2 stars (Extract 500 Dragonshards, Desecrate 6 Kobold Idols), 1165 xp, 282 Crude Talismans and a Supply Chests. The Supply Chest gave me a Light Wooden Shield. I did like run #4 except I left the Large Extractor with a fully upgraded Mage Cannon and started a second one. I started the second one before I taking out the boss there and got overwhelmed. Both Larges got knocked out.

Run #11 - Level 4 Circles of Power
* I didn't complete. I had cleared out the East and had gotten my quota. I went back to the entrance and then North. On the bridge, there were no purples North of me and when I looked down and West, I saw some on the bridge down there. I ran down there and ran into Fissure. I backed up while tossing Finger of Fires at him when I fell into some lava and died

Run #12 - Level 4 Behind the Door
I got 2 stars (Defeated a boss, Defeated Mother of the Nest), 3181 xp, 568 Antique Coins and 4 Supply Chests. The Supply Chests gave me a Cloak of Hiding +3, a +1 Shocking Touch Longbow, a Ring of Light Fortification and a Masterwork Scepter

* I swapped out Summon Monster I for Feather Fall and that helped a lot
* I followed run #2 except I was able to get through the North door
* I went through the North door and defeated Ugg
* I went back South past the Observatory and then West to the Bath House
* I search for the secret door in the East wall just North of the shrines. I went through there and followed the passage. I killed the Mother of the Nest and then went up the ramp to its end. I searched for the secret door and went through that into the Banner room
* The Banner room didn't go well. I went up the ramp to the throne on the South wall and then I chugged a Jump potion. I jumped up on the structure above the throne and then jumped along the South wall East to the corner. I then jumped North along the East wall to the next corner. I couldn't see how to advance from there. I should have jumped onto the chandler from near the North end and continued on from there. I spent a lot of time and didn't get any crests for it. I dropped down, opened the East door then opened the North door and went North
* I entered the Grand Entrance Hall and then went East. That eventually lead me to the Chapel. I rested there. I went through it to the Armory. I smashed the stuff there, took the ramp there and cleared up on high. Then I opened the door South. I retraced my steps to the Chapel and back to the Grand Entrance Hall. I went through the North door
* I entered Pleasant Street and went to the North side. I jumped on some architectural doodads West and got up to the roofs. I continued West until I came to a ladder. I climbed that and then jumped South on to the roofs there. I headed East to the Money Laundry Room. The boss there and her elementals quickly killed me

I got two items to use in other Challenges - an Anti-Crystal Blast Charge (destroys all crystals in an area) and a Kobold Gem of Shadow Fade (grants Evaions and casts Invisibility on all nearby Kobolds).

I traded in Challenge ingredients to get the Blasting Chime. Rock Boots are the only Challenge loot item I went to also get. I had 370 Antique Coins that I wouldn't need for loot until level 8. I turned them in for a Small Crafting Satchel, which gave me 5 Greater Arcane Essences

I went to House Kundarak and went in the Crafting Hall. I talked to Maker and did the crafting tutorial. I used 2 Action Points for Warforged Healer's Friend I.

Run #13 - Level 4 Circles of Power
I got 1 star (Collect 150 crystals), 1029 xp, 147 Obisidian Arrowheads and a Supply Chest. The Supply Chest gave me a Striding (+5%) Boots.

A terrible purple/magic circle distribution. I went East and that was OK. I came back to the entrance and went North. The first Magic Circle was there but no purples. I looked down and saw no purples on the bridge below me. I continued North to the "T", no Magic Cicle and no purples. North of there was some purples, but no Magic Circle. I went South of the "T" and lots of purples, but no Magic Circles. I went a long, long way with no Magic Circles and the Kobolds started dying. I finally found one, but it was way on the far side from the purples and there were no purples near it. I got back to the entrance and killed the mobs. There were a few Kobolds left and they gathered some crystals, but without purples I didn't do well

Run #14 - Level 4 Kobold Chaos
I got 3 stars (Extract 500 Dragonshards, Desecrate 6 Kobold Idols, Defeat an Island Djinn), 1197 xp, 579 Crude Talismans and a Supply Chests. I had extracted 2246 dragonshards. The Supply Chest gave me an Elixir of Lesser Mnemonic Enhancement. I did like run #4 except I fully upgraded the Mage Cannon at the Large Extractor. I lost one small. The Island Djinn almost killed me and the Mage Cannon is what took him out.

[GuntherBovine]

At this point, I decided to stop. I had almost all of the challenge loot items I wanted. i was at Rank 18. For the next 3+ levels, I could have run Kobold Chaos over and over to get ingredients, turned those in for crafting bags and then crafted stuff. However, that just didn't appeal to me.

Behind the Door - in ways my favorite challenge. This challenge gave the most supply chests and dropped other items that I could use or sell. However, a successful run is a lot longer (45-48 minutes) than the other challenges and it required too many different things from an untwinked toon

Circles of Power - A very frustrating quest because of the randomness. I had some runs where I did miserably despite doing all the right things.

Kobold Chaos - The best challenge for ingredients per minute. Some randomness, but not that it impacted my strategy. The last 5 minutes or so is kind of boring as I have to guard a Large Extractor

[GeneralDiomedes]

I took the Wizards gear set and a +1 Starter Greatswrod

I then went into a bar, equiped gear and selected spells.

I then went to the Harbor and talked to Mara to get my Small Collectables Bag and my Small Gem Bag

Dude, all I can say is you have a lot of time on your hands

[GuntherBovine]

Dude, all I can say is you have a lot of time on your hands

Pa-shaw. This is one of the my less time-intensive projects. My most time intensive project is here. I tracked all of my finds by chest/quest for many levels.

It is a game. If you play it a lot, you have a lot of time on your hands.