The New Monster (Smrti TR'd Again)

[Blank_Zero]

Edit: March 17, 2013: The gearset has been radically changed, as well as stats, twists, build focus, etc. If you notice anything seemingly outdated, feel free to let me know in-thread, or via PM.

Smrti has undergone a big transfromation. I swore off TRing her agains after the WF life, but with all the changes to EVERYTHING and the looming PrE/AP changes, I tried to Future Proof her as much as possible. I really don't like TRing :/

This will be a very basic build, meaning I have LR'd too many times to keep track of everything I have and when I got it. If you have any questions, feel free to PM me or add a comment!

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Smrti Ketsukoro - Human Female
12 Fighter/6 Ranger/2 Rogue


Stats (36):
STR - 18
DEX - 14
CON - 16
INT - 9
WIS - 8
CHA - 11

Skills:
UMD/Balance maxed. 10 ranks or so in Jump. 1 rank in Tumble/Open Lock and DD, but you won't be hitting Epic Traps at all. Locks aren't bad though.

FEATS!
There are a lot, but still not enough. I want more of them! I'm just going to throw down what I have, including autogranted ones, but I won't throw in the obvious ones (martial prof etc):

TWF, iTWF, GTWF
PA
WF:Piercing, WS/GWS: Piercing
iCrit Piercing
Stunning Blow
Toughness x 1
Dodge, Mobility, Spring Attack
Precise Shot, Rapid Shot, Many Shot (all Auto granted)
Cleave, Great Cleave
OverWhelming Crit (kinda underwhelming since it's broken)
Imp Sunder
Precision
Point Blank Shot (Trading out for Power Critical/Toughness)

For Favored Enemies, I have Giant and Undead selected. Construct, Abberation, and Evil Outsider are all good options as well.

ITEMS!!!!

Gear on a melee is too important for words. I try to keep all of my gear pretty static, as swapping gear sucks.

Head - EH Black Dragon Helm (Draconic Ferocity Set Bonus, Insightful Strength +3, Empty Green Slot: GFL +35, Empty Yellow Slot: Charisma +7)

Goggles - EE Dream Visor (Dream Vision, Spot +20, Empty Yellow Slot: Deathblock)/Min2 HP Goggles (Heavy Fort, +45 Greensteel HP, Mineral)

Neck - EE Jorgundal's Collar (+15% Melee Alacrity, Striding +30%, Empty Green Slot: +7 Resistance, Empty Colorless Slot: +7 Constitution)

Cloak - Adamantine Cloak of the Wolf (Exceptional Seeker +5, Dodge +4%, Attack Bonus +4, Diversion +20%)

Bracers - Greater Convalescent Bracers of Superior Parrying (+30% Healing Amplification, +4 AC/Saves Bonus)

Gloves -EE Nether Grasps (Arcane Casting Dexterity, Open Lock +20, Diversion +20%, Seeker +10, Demonic Might)

Ring 1 - Seal of House Dun'Robar (Insightful Constitution +2, Dodge +4%, Stunning +10)

Ring 2 - Seal of House Avithoul (+7 Wisdom, Sneak Attack Bonus +5, Exceptional Sneak Attack Bonus +3, Improved Deception)

Belt - Tier 3 Epic Spare Hand (Doublestrike +3%, Use Magic Device +3, Riposte, Exceptional Combat Mastery +5, Staggering Blow, Disable Device +15, Open Lock +15, Empty Blue Slot: +14 PPR, Empty Colorless Slot: Globe of True Imperial Blood)

Boots - EE Treads of Falling Shadow (+30% Striding, Ghostly, Dexterity +8, Insightful Dexterity +3)

Trinket - Planar Focus of Prowess (+8 Strength, Planar Focus: Prowess)

Armor - Flawless Black Dragonhide Armor (+8 Enhancement Bonus, MDB: 19, ASF: 10%, Armor Bonus + 17, Attuned to Heroism, Draconic Ferocity Set Bonus, Haste Guard, Armor-Piercing +20%, Relentless Fury, superior Acid Resistance, Empty Blue Slot: Heavy Fortification)

Quiver - EH/EE Quiver of Poison (Venomed Ammunition)

Weapons - 2 x Deathnip (Good Damage, Good Damage), Pinion (Good Damage), +5 Holy Burst of Greater X Bane Heavy Pick (Epic Base Damage), 2 x Balizarde (Good Damage, Good Damage), 2 x Triple Positive Warhammers (For Undead Giants, Truthful One, etc.)


AP:
I mess with this a lot, but the important stuff is:
Human Versatility 4
Haste 4
Pre Reqs for Tempest 1 and Kensei 2
Fighter/Racial Toughness
Rogue SA Training
Rogue Wand/Scroll Mastery 1

The rest, just go nuts with it.


Other Stuff:
UMD = 39 Unbuffed. 44 after ship buffs and Greater Heroism.

I carry GH/Displace/TS/Heal/Raise Scrolls all the time. I wish you could vender-buy Aligned Weapons too, or even the Metal-aligning scrolls.

As far as clickies go, I have a Jump Amrath belt, a GS Haste clickie, a Shield Clickie, a Cloak of Ice (old version), DW Goggles, Invis Clickie, 2 GH clickies (for those times I have lots of Death Pen/Neg Levels and can't scroll well), and a few StoneSkin clickies. I'll be making GS Displace clickies at some point as well.


Epic Stuff:

Main ED: Fury of the Wild

I like to group with good people, meaning LD doesn't do much for me in most cases.

1- Tunnel Vision (3), Primal Scream (3)
2- Injury (2), Unstoppable Fury (2), Acute Instincts (3)
3- Nothing
4- Gird Against Demons (2) *1 rank*, Sense Weakness (3), Overwhelming Force (2)
5- Fury Eternal (2)
6- Unbridled Fury (2)

Twists:
I've got almost all the points I can get at the moment, but enough to get 4/2/1, so I'm waiting for the next ED to open up to grind the last levels here and there.

Currently, I'm using the following
1-Lay Waste (T3)
2-Momentum Swing (T2)
3-Brace for Impact (T1)

Secondary ED: Legendary Dreadnought

this is mainly just run when I'm soloing or shortmanning things. Charge up a blitz and let loos the whole quest, zerging between enemies and destroying them to fuel the fire.

1- Legendary Tactics (3), Extra Action Boosts (3), Constitution (2)
2- Momentum Swing (3), Improved Power Attack (2)
3- Lay Waste (2), Critical Damage (3)
4- Nothing
5- Advancing Blows (2), Devastating Critical (2)
6- Master's Blitz (2)

Twists:

1-Sense Weakness (T4)
2-Lithe (T2)
3-Impregnable Mind (T1)

I'm still working out the twists for this ED. I'm using Lithe and IM to bump up my saves mainly, since I lack any kind of buffbots to give me extra padding.
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That's it really. Playstyle is simple really. "Kill it first". DPS will be your biggest damage mitigation. Scrolling Heal for backup with Scroll Mastery helps, as does PermaBlur and 10% Incorporeality.

[emptysands]

Smrti has undergone a big transfromation. I swore off TRing her agains after the WF life, but with all the changes to EVERYTHING and the looming PrE/AP changes, I tried to Future Proof her as much as possible. I really don't like TRing :/

Main ED - Fury of the Wild

I know most folks think LD for fighter/Fury for Barb, but what I've seen in my own playing and watching others, it's more like TWF for Fury/THF for LD. I know it seems odd, but it really works well that way, due to inate strengths each style has (Raw Dmg THF vs Added Effects+Speed TWF)

TRig to reset counters is a good enough reason, but I'm dumping non-arcane WF at the moment as well.

I think fury works well for TWF because there is a higher chance to proc vorpals. Unless - which I need to get confirmed - multiple vorpals can proc on a cleave/etc. However, 1 on 1 TWF will proc more vorpals than THF. So the epic moment will recharge quicker.

[Blank_Zero]

TRig to reset counters is a good enough reason, but I'm dumping non-arcane WF at the moment as well.

I think fury works well for TWF because there is a higher chance to proc vorpals. Unless - which I need to get confirmed - multiple vorpals can proc on a cleave/etc. However, 1 on 1 TWF will proc more vorpals than THF. So the epic moment will recharge quicker.

Yes, unless you are a pure monk with max gear (ie Redscale Docent, etc), your best choice atm is to go fleshy. The gear options alone on armors and the way heal amp keeps getting borked are reason enough for me.

As far as the ED choice, I saw it more as each style needs its own focus. Once you grasp the focus you're going for it becomes simple to build for it.

THF = Huge first numbers + Glancing Blows to make up for the slower speed. So a stupid high STR, extreme Crit multipliers, etc help THF more than TWF

TWF = Faster damage overall (more hits/min), so adding effects to weapons (burst/elements/etc) is the fastest way to increase damage, since you will never match your First Number Dmg on a Kensei/Tempest with Drow Khopesh to a Fully specced eSoS Fighter. So, with Tunnel Vision, Sense Weakness, etc, adding more and more numbers behind your first number starts to make up the difference. This becomes even more apparent in Unarmed fighting, hence ToD rings.

I could be way off base, but it is what I have noticed about the different fighting styles available to us.

[wax_on_wax_off]

Have you considered 12 ranger/6 fighter (SDI)/2 rogue?
Costs:

• 1 feat (great strength)
• Power Surge
• 12 HP (or up to 32 if you take roughness III/IV)
• 25% more threat
• -1 AB (-2 from no kensei, +1 from tempest II)
• Minus 2-4 points on tactics
• Only Haste Boost II
• -2 Action Boosts and costly to get Extra Action Boost I (Skill Boost IV until Rangers get Haste Boost)
• -1 AP
• -2 reflex saves vs magic (its a wash vs spells)
• -4 damage, -4 seeker
• Ranger icon

Gain:

• Free IPS.
• 10% offhand proc (which should be more DPS on a max geared toon like yours)
• Titans Grip clicky use
• +2 str (SDI stance)
• +2 con and 10% HP (lot of HP here I'm thinking?)
• 10 PRR
• Bonuses with S'n'B (so make a better emergency tank).
• 24 more skill points (should be enough for traps or stealth if you like)
• A few more buffs/CLs including 30 point resists.
• Evasion from ranger (so you could swap to 2 barb and get rogue dil)
• Total +4 Shield AC, +10% AC, +1 saves, +1 reflex
• 1 FE (construct for you), +4 damage vs FEs

I think vs FEs this will be a clear win and against everyone else it should still be a net gain (not sure how haste boost fits in). Seems better than likely that this will only get better when the enhancement pass goes through as ranger is promised to be buffed.

[wax_on_wax_off]

Forgot to add that madstone rage is then unuseable so lose some there

To add further:
Tempest I: 102.2*1.9=194.18
Tempest I+Haste Boost IV: 133.3*1.9=253.27
Tempest II: 102.2*2=204.4
Tempest II+Haste Boost II: 123*2=246
(attacks/minute)

Not sure how it adds up but can think in these terms:
Short term: full haste boost +titans clicky
Medium term: full haste boost
Medium term: tempest II runs out of haste boost, kensei II still has 2-3 left
Long term: no boosts left (except rogue damage boost)

Presumably tempest II has an edge all the time vs FEs except when first out of haste boosts. Vs non FEs I'd imagine tempest II to have the edge short and long at least. Big question is on the first medium term.

Of course maybe you can twist in Haste Boost from LD.

[Blank_Zero]

How are you only getting a net loss of one Feat?

Also, I did think about doing 12 Ranger, but considering Mil completely LR'd to pure monk on his 12 Ranger/6 fighter/2 monk, I'm very wary of this route.

I don't use Titan's Grip. It lasts a minute, only gets back one charge per shrine and just isn't sustainable in the long run.

If you really want to run all the numbers for it, be my guest! lol. My gear is there, and I'm only missing Good Luck slotted on the belt, as well as the Red Armor, which should not be too far away from completion judging by how often we are doing evon now lol.

Also, I am Human, not HElf, so no dilly feat for me, and I like to run HV4 and Haste Boost 4 in tandem, which racks up the numbers and DPS very quickly. I can now pull aggro off of Xirek in Fury without wearing my Claw Set (much to my dismay in eBuying Time when the Marilith spun around and ate me at 2% health ) so my DPS can't be THAT bad lol.

edit to add: Losing 4 Seeker and 4 damage is pretty huge considering I have a 15-20 Crit range.

[wax_on_wax_off]

How are you only getting a net loss of one Feat?

Also, I did think about doing 12 Ranger, but considering Mil completely LR'd to pure monk on his 12 Ranger/6 fighter/2 monk, I'm very wary of this route.

I don't use Titan's Grip. It lasts a minute, only gets back one charge per shrine and just isn't sustainable in the long run.

If you really want to run all the numbers for it, be my guest! lol. My gear is there, and I'm only missing Good Luck slotted on the belt, as well as the Red Armor, which should not be too far away from completion judging by how often we are doing evon now lol.

Also, I am Human, not HElf, so no dilly feat for me, and I like to run HV4 and Haste Boost 4 in tandem, which racks up the numbers and DPS very quickly. I can now pull aggro off of Xirek in Fury without wearing my Claw Set (much to my dismay in eBuying Time when the Marilith spun around and ate me at 2% health ) so my DPS can't be THAT bad lol.

edit to add: Losing 4 Seeker and 4 damage is pretty huge considering I have a 15-20 Crit range.

Lose 3 feats from 6 fighter levels, gain 1 feat from GTWF at ranger 11, gain 1 feat from not taking GWS:S for a net loss of 1 feat.

Obviously you don't use Titan's Grip as it doesn't stack with Power Surge anymore but it'd be an option to have if you were SDI (and worth it I think for fights where it matters).

I've never figured out how to use Barrage and not THAT interested, just had the idea anyway.

Would it be possible to twist in Haste Boost III from LD without losing something important?

It's only -4 damage vs non-FEs, vs FEs it breaks even.

Is 4 seeker 3.6 damage/hit vs 0% fort? 6*12/20? That's a lot and certainly the nice thing about the Drow Khopesh (2.4 with normal threat range khopesh).

Well, considering everything probably kensei is in front DPS wise though with HBIII from LD the 12 ranger build would be more interesting (and have 5.5% more hits/second for more vorpals for Fury stuff). Besides DPS though the ranger idea offers quite a few things between IPS, 12 caster levels, more skill points and SDI so maybe a slight DPS sacrifice in worst case scenarios, more DPS in important raid fights and more versatility all around.

[Blank_Zero]

In Fury, you gain 5 Ranger caster levels inately, meaning I have 30 resists and 11 minute Ram's might.

I can see where I would have slightly more versatility as 12 Ranger, but if I want versatile, I'll play my Bard. Smrti is a DPS toon first and foremost.

ETA: I haven't used Titan's clickie in a VERY long time. Not worth the cooldown and the wait time between rages/madstone/other clickies to worry about keeping it up for 3 minutes.

[emptysands]

Have you considered 12 ranger/6 fighter (SDI)/2 rogue

Getting bit off topic.

Why 2 rogue if you don't need evasion? 7 fighter gets haste boost III. 1 Barbarian gets fast movement and power attack I.

[wax_on_wax_off]

Getting bit off topic.

Why 2 rogue if you don't need evasion? 7 fighter gets haste boost III. 1 Barbarian gets fast movement and power attack I.

2 rogue gives Wand and Scroll Mastery I which is pretty huge for self healing.

For pure DPS 12 ranger/7 rogue/1 x is pretty brutal.

[Blank_Zero]

I think I just solved ALL of your DPS questions. That wasn't the highest number I got, but it was the highest I managed to SS

For pure DPS, Insert any usual class combo here is pretty brutal.

Fixed that a bit for you. The truth is, unless you are playing a Paladin, your DPS is going to be fine as long as you're geared to the teeth.

Sorry Paladins. :P

[Munkenmo]

2824? gimp.

[emptysands]

I think I just solved ALL of your DPS questions. That wasn't the highest number I got, but it was the highest I managed to SS

I've managed a 3k on my 18 ranger 2 fighter. Helpless spider in trial by fury. Have to see if I can find the screenshot.

[emptysands]

For pure DPS 12 ranger/7 rogue/1 x is pretty brutal.

I'll probably TR my twf dps main - first life ranger - into something like this.

[Blank_Zero]

If someone can provide numbers of the 12ra/7ro/1x compared to mine and they are impressive enough, I may consider an LR path lol. I can't stomach another TR right now tbh.

[Blank_Zero]

While testing, I found this build to be much better than I hoped for initially. I can solo just about any quest on EH with minimal resources. Very versatile and lots of damage and high DCs are making me very happy with it. That and Adrenaline/Unbridled Fury tend to clear rooms almost as fast as my Monk friends with their EiN :P

[emptysands]

If someone can provide numbers of the 12ra/7ro/1x compared to mine and they are impressive enough, I may consider an LR path lol. I can't stomach another TR right now tbh.

Probably not worth TRing, numbers are pretty similar on 0% fort no DR:

Here are some really rough calcs. Bound to be some mistakes, but may provide some insight.

http://goo.gl/gwcHL
http://goo.gl/gs0DO

Note, didn't take into account attack speed. Just a synthetic per swing number - 90% off-hand for the ranger 6 and 100% for the ranger 12.

[Blank_Zero]

So it looks like FE is pushing it ahead a bit then. Not bad, but I like my setup a bit more I think

Eta: if that is just base dmg and not accounting for swing speed, it will probably end up being a wash overall due to the haste boost difference.

[Blank_Zero]

2824? gimp.

I was just about to reroll, tears in my eyes and finger over the button.

Then I realized you are from Sarlona.

[emptysands]

So it looks like FE is pushing it ahead a bit then. Not bad, but I like my setup a bit more I think

Eta: if that is just base dmg and not accounting for swing speed, it will probably end up being a wash overall due to the haste boost difference.

Depends how often you use Haste Boost against trash. Against bosses, you'd need to work out fort and DR - which is really tricky with all the debuffs. Improved Deception is also a factor and sneak damage is bit part of 7 Rogue dps. Golden Guile may mean no Kyosho and whatever factors to consider.

Double-strike from items may be a factor as well - likely favour the higher main hand dmg on the fighter build.

Personally, 12 ranger with a LR+3 sound like a nice way to get some rogue PLs on a khopesh build without having to invest in the artificer method, and still be useful at end game for a while.