Can u make a melee druid wolf with evasion work?

[lherndo]

I've taken a few years off and I'm back and wanting to roll a druid.

I've heard half-elf Dilettante feats:rogue sneak attack stacks with the wolf sneak attack.

Is it viable at all to look at an 18druid/2monk half-elf with the dual sneak attack and have evasion work at all past the halfway point?

Or would it work out better to go human and take the TWF tree?

Or stay with half-elf and take 20 druid and just skip the evasion?

Any and all suggestions for an old DDO beta players who took a leave of absence and can't wait to get back to rolling a new character and killing those **** kobolds in waterworks!

[Syllph]

TWF feats do nothing for a wolf. They act like they are sword ad board but get an innate alacrity bonus. (If you use an offhand weapon you get the passive bonus (fort, vertigo, etc; but not the damage. Damage only comes from your main hand weapon)

This is not a normal bonus it's actually a faster base animation that stacks with haste (unlike melee alacrity)

Evasion is great of any melee, as long as you have reflex. Don't dump dex and grab a few items for saves and you'll be fine.

Class-wise Druid level 9 gains access to natural fighting (18% double strike if thrice stacked). After that you really don't need to go any further but that is up to you.

My druid melee half elf (rogue SA) I went 9 druid 9 monk (for wind stance 5% D.strike, ninja spy 1 for more sneak attack and incorporeal, touch of death and stunning fist) and 2 fighter (for more feats) I was getting SA from the druid, the monk, the elf, I was attacking faster and doing more damage than I ever expected. It was good.

Note: if you're going to TR take 10 druid or your PL will be monk

I loved this build.

[lherndo]

TWF feats do nothing for a wolf. They act like they are sword ad board but get an innate alacrity bonus. (If you use an offhand weapon you get the passive bonus (fort, vertigo, etc; but not the damage. Damage only comes from your main hand weapon)

This is not a normal bonus it's actually a faster base animation that stacks with haste (unlike melee alacrity)

Evasion is great of any melee, as long as you have reflex. Don't dump dex and grab a few items for saves and you'll be fine.

Class-wise Druid level 9 gains access to natural fighting (18% double strike if thrice stacked). After that you really don't need to go any further but that is up to you.

My druid melee half elf (rogue SA) I went 9 druid 9 monk (for wind stance 5% D.strike, ninja spy 1 for more sneak attack and incorporeal, touch of death and stunning fist) and 2 fighter (for more feats) I was getting SA from the druid, the monk, the elf, I was attacking faster and doing more damage than I ever expected. It was good.

Note: if you're going to TR take 10 druid or your PL will be monk

I loved this build.

Thanks so much for your input, that sounds awesome and exactly what I was looking for.

Keep it coming you guys

[Chobo]

I've taken a few years off and I'm back and wanting to roll a druid.

I've heard half-elf Dilettante feats:rogue sneak attack stacks with the wolf sneak attack.

Is it viable at all to look at an 18druid/2monk half-elf with the dual sneak attack and have evasion work at all past the halfway point?

Or would it work out better to go human and take the TWF tree?

Or stay with half-elf and take 20 druid and just skip the evasion?

Any and all suggestions for an old DDO beta players who took a leave of absence and can't wait to get back to rolling a new character and killing those **** kobolds in waterworks!

The way to build an <b>extremely high</b> dps wolf druid, there are two ways that I know of:
1) 8druid/12monk helf rogue dilentantte, shadowdancer final ED
For winterwolf form (+30% native attack speed)
For Master of Thunder (Air stance +12.5attack spd & 7.5% doublestrike
Monk Ninja Spy II for +2d6 sneak attack
http://ddowiki.com/page/Monk_enhancements#Way_of_Air)
For this build, do not take Shield Mastery or Imp Shield Mastery. You have to stay centered which means you can't wear shield.

2) 20 druid helf rogue dilentantte, shadowdancer final ED
Pure druid for capstone which is an extra +2d6 sneakattack, and you get Mass Heal, a non-gimped mana pool, and brings spell cooldown back to 1.5 second. (which is invaluable). Also greater creeping cold is part of your damage too. (I fit a maximize feat in, but this is optional). This build is lower dps than the 1st build.


The point is to maximize attack speed & doublestrikes in order to achieve maximum number of sneak attacks.
For Build (2), You want Maxed Bluff (dont dump charisma completely) and bluff in tandem with your pet wolf (which is wearing a +8 cha item & +4 cha from Pack Aptitude & Augment Summoning). And make sure you look after your wolf (w/ heals) and keep him out of trouble (do not aggressive stance in EE).

Shadowdancer also has 5% on-hit to make mob vulnerable to sneakattack, EVEN IF HE IS IMMUNE!
This together with bluff gives you fulltime sneakattack damage.

For Build (1), put all your stat allocation to wisdom.
For Build (2), put all your stat allocation to wisdom (and switch to strength once u hit EE. Because DC doesn't matter once you are in EE)

I'm not too big of a fan of stunning blow, maybe someone can give a few tips on how to get it to effective DC in epic elite?

Compulsory Feats for Build (2) Only:
Shield mastery +3% doublestrike with sheild equipped
improved sheild mastery +5% additional for a total of +8% sheild mastery doublestrike
3x natural fighting +18% doublestrike total
toughness
IC: Bludgeon (gives 20 free mana constantly)
Augment Summoning (Non-compulsory)

Compulsory Feats for Build (1) Only:
3x natural fighting +18% doublestrike total
toughness
IC: Bludgeon


For Epic Destiny Twists:
If you are Build (1), Orchid Blossom & Lily Petal will increase your damage Dramatically! (the former is an aoe) so long as you have maxed wisdom. <--- nothing comes close.

There is Legendary Shield Mastery from Unyielding Sentinel for the extra doublestrike (is this bugged?)

You could take Haste Boost from Legendary Dreadnaught, but it's not really my playstyle because you lose a round and it only has 5 uses.

Grandmaster of Flowers has TWO +3% doublestrike twists that you can grab if you like.

Just take something that matches playstyle and switch around depending on which dungeon you are doing.

These ideas are originally from hermespan which I got a lot of advice from.

-----
Summary:
Build (1) is higher dps but lower survivability. You bring sleet storm.
Build (2) is lower dps but higher survivability. It is a team player build because you can offheal your party during fights. The earthquake only works in EH. Forget about it once you do EE. Also you bring lots of sleet storm.

Please don't forget Sleet Storm!
Buff Freedom of Movement on everyone at the start of every dungeon and use sleetstorm in Every Fight.

[slimkj]

I've got a Human 17Dru/3Mnk with a casting focus (points into WIS) but that does very well in melee too. Took 3Mnk for the run speed bump mainly, and 17Dru for Snowslide. The pace of the character during the 50% enhancement speed bump following Snowslide is great. Putting your level bumps into WIS gives you a viable Stunning Fist too which helps keep the Sneak Attack flowing, and keeps spell DCs reasonable.

Agree don't bother with TWF, stick with Wolf and get into doublestrike through feats, stances, etc. as much as possible. A guildie has 17Dru/2Mnk/1Ftr so he can swap in Shield & ____ when wanted for more doublestrike, iirc.