Last feat for 18/1/1?

[Ape_Man]

It's "safe" to take levels 24 and 25 now, I know what I want for my other toon's last feats but my 18/1/1 has me stumped.

What to take? Currently have (in no particular order) . . .

Feats:

1 Dodge
3 Mobility
6 Spring Attack
9 Khopesh
12 IC:Slash
15 Maximize
18 OTWF
21 Quicken
24 ?

Human Toughness
Monk Power Attack (Monk)

What to take?

[Ganolyn]

How much bow use do you get out of him? IC: Ranged perhaps? Probably a better choice out there, though.

[Ape_Man]

How much bow use do you get out of him? IC: Ranged perhaps? Probably a better choice out there, though.

Point Blank shot might not be a bad idea. IC: Ranged isn't because bows have such a lousy crit range but PBS is pretty good.

[Ganolyn]

Point Blank shot might not be a bad idea. IC: Ranged isn't because bows have such a lousy crit range but PBS is pretty good.

True, but not all bows are 20 crit range. Aren't some of the newer named bows wider in that department? Also keep in mind that anything within PBS range is usually close enough to melee and you will do much better DPS doing that. I suppose you could run up, Manyshot, then engage, but all that takes time which means less DPS.


EDIT: Just for reference, I usually get 4-8 crits out of a Manyshot burst on my IC: Ranged toon with a bow that has normal crit range. With Seeker and a crit heavy bow it makes a pretty string of numbers fly.

[unbongwah]

Bow of Sinew, epic Bow of the Elements, epic Thornlord, and epic Collapsible Shortbow all have 19-20 crit range. EDIT: so does Silver Longbow, though I doubt one would still use it in epics.

[Synthetic]

Improved sunder or the new power crit maybe. I went with ic ranged myself for many shot and the bow from madness chain. Granted I didn't run any numbers.

[unbongwah]

It's also possible to add Overwhelming Crit if you completely redid your feats and took your monk splash early:

Tempest III pre-reqs: D/M/SA,OTWF
Overwhelming Crit pre-reqs: PA/Cleave/GC, IC:S, WF:S, OC:S

That's 10 feats out of ll total (base 7 + 1 human + 1 monk + 2 epic), leaving room for khopesh.

[Ape_Man]

It's also possible to add Overwhelming Crit if you completely redid your feats and took your monk splash early:

Tempest III pre-reqs: D/M/SA,OTWF
Overwhelming Crit pre-reqs: PA/Cleave/GC, IC:S, WF:S, OC:S

That's 10 feats out of ll total (base 7 + 1 human + 1 monk + 2 epic), leaving room for khopesh.

Not worth giving up Quicken and Maximize.

[Ganolyn]

Not worth giving up Quicken and Maximize.

I was wondering about those two since Rangers have sucky offensive spells. Are you using them for healing?

[Grailhawk]

I'm going to experiment with Cleave. If that doesn't work out and I don't really expect it to. ill probably take either Point blank shot, Skill focus UMD or another Toughness.

Since Overwhelming Critical isn't really feasible. This really bothers me though its been on my nerves for the last week. I don't think cleave and great cleave should be on its list of requirements it basically locks every one that isn't a Fighter or a Barbarian out imo.

[unbongwah]

It's yet another hold-over from PnP rules, I'm afraid. Believe it or not, they actually improved it: DDO's OC provides +1 crit multiplier on a 19 or 20 (similar to FB II & III's crit bonus); the PnP feat works like a Maiming bonus (i.e., flat +1D6/2D6/3D6 dmg on crits depending on base multiplier).

[Ape_Man]

I was wondering about those two since Rangers have sucky offensive spells. Are you using them for healing?

yes, and it works extremely well.

[Ape_Man]

What about Stunning Blow?

SB DC
10 Base
10 Item (Air/Air/Air Alchemical Khopesh)
19 STR (48 Sustainable STR as a FoTW)
6 Twist from LD

45 DC

50 DC if I acquire Exceptional Combat Mastery.

Definitely viable in Epic hard content and the 50 DC might land enough to be worth it in Epic Elites.

[Synthetic]

Stunning blow is great and you numbers look good to me. Definitely get that last 5 though.

[Ape_Man]

Went with Stunning Blow, kinda underwhelmed but it's meh DC. The stuff it lands on is all low HP junk that dies fast anyway.

I swear i get more incaps with dual earth-grab weapons.

Still shopping for ideas.

[Aerendil]

Quick draw might be ok if you're using boosts a lot.

Otherwise, I'd aim for PBS (no pun intended) or a past-life feat such as Sneak of Shadows if you have it.

[Ganolyn]

The only other fairly useful feat I can think of besides another IC or PBS is Empower Healing. Anything else either gives a poor benefit or requires a prereq that you don't have. Does EH stack with Maximize?

[Ape_Man]

Does EH stack with Maximize?

it does but then we start to get tot he point of a CSW costing way too much.

[Ganolyn]

it does but then we start to get tot he point of a CSW costing way too much.

Oh yeah, I forgot that you only have about 20 SP on that toon.

[Hilltrot]

OTWF

I see the a lot in TWF build and it just doesn't make sense. Do you really need the +2 to hit? For Ranger you already have bonuses due to Tempest and Spring attack.

Do you really need the +2 to-hit? I just don't miss on mine. Not beholders or vampires, or dragons. . . ? What are you'all missing all the time that you need OTWF? What part of the game have I not done?

Two weapon defense seems to me to be a much better choice. Not that much help but is some help.

Cleave , great cleave, whirlwind attack help overcome the lack of area effect that TWF has.

Maximized, quickened cure serious wounds? Solo much? Oh yes, let's empower healing it too!

Only 57 points a casting! You might be able to cast it ten times - maybe.

If you're really serious about something like that, be a half-elf and carry heal scrolls. Or just be a cleric or favored soul.

I'll be a dragon-marked halfling before I spend time on Maximized, empowered, quickened cure serious wounds.

I guess this is the result of clerics and favored souls insisting on characters healng themselves.

At end levels, you tend to play with others. Solo at high level, those 10 castings of cure serious wounds are going to go so fast. I'm assuming that is why you are doing that. Maybe playing with clerics who post BYOH?