Which melee class to take first...

[wildbynature]

A few people on here might know my main, Pealea. She was my first toon on DDO when I started playing a year ago, and I've been playing through different classes on her ever since. Right now I'm a little under a million experience away from hitting level 20 on my Druid life, and I'm starting to think about what I'll TR into next. Here is the list of lives I've already gone through in the order that I've taken them:

Wizard, wizard, cleric, sorcerer, bard, favored soul, rogue, and Druid.

I'm about ready to start my melee lives. I'm not really confident playing melee toons, but I'd like to go ahead and get them over with so that I can save the rest of the specialists for late in my completionist order. Also, up to this point, I've run all of my lives on that toon as pure classes. A guildy of mine earned his pure completionist about a month ago, and I'm determined to do the same.

So, which melee life should I start off with? I'm tempted to get my 10 hp and go barbarian, but the self sufficientcy of pally is kind of appealing, too. I've also heard that monks are a fun introduction to melee classes. Then I start thinking about how having a fighter might be nice, too. I'm not sure.

A few other minor details:

I started in the angelic destiny and have been making my way across the board from left to right. I'm currently about half way through grandmaster of flowers, but I'm thinking about hanging out in epic levels long enough to cap it out before I TR.

I have black/blue/white medium dragonscale armor, a sword of shadow, healing amp dragontouched robes, and some pretty decent raid gear. That being said, I'd rather my build not be so gear dependent. I tend to misplace things and forget to put them on when I'm at the right level.

[Fedora]

I think it's personal preference really. With that in mind, I personally have not enjoyed playing barbs. If you want to play something "pure" I'd suggest fighter. I love pallys/rangers, but they seem too lacking to go 'pure", so I always splash rogue or fighter on them.

EDIT: So for pure fighter I would suggest either human 2WF khopesh, horc 2HF, dwarf either 2WF or 2HF with d-axe, or one I have been meaning to try - helf with cleric dilly.

[Irongutz2000]

Well iof ur doing them all, anyways does it really matter which u do first?

That being said

barb lifes i prefer the bardbarian....8 bard/10 barb/ 2 rogue for traps and helps with umd or 2 fighter. This brings haste/ heals to a barb which is much needed if ur soloing or short manning.

Pali...i prefer the 14 pali/ 4 fighter/ 2 rogue or monk. makes u almost unkillable, with decent damage out put

fighter.....18 fighter/ 2 rogue or monk...if 2 monk i really suggest Helf cleric dilly, or have a backpack healer

And monk.....I prefer pure light monks with cleric dilly if possible......easiest to lvl imo

hope this helps

[FestusHood]

I think it's personal preference really. With that in mind, I personally have not enjoyed playing barbs. If you want to play something "pure" I'd suggest fighter. I love pallys/rangers, but they seem too lacking to go 'pure", so I always splash rogue or fighter on them.

EDIT: So for pure fighter I would suggest either human 2WF khopesh, horc 2HF, dwarf either 2WF or 2HF with d-axe, or one I have been meaning to try - helf with cleric dilly.

I have an elf fighter with extended dragonmarks, and i'm loving it. So are my partymates, as the displacement from the dragonmarks can still be cast on other players.

[Enoach]

I recommend going Paladin next and then Monk

Why:

Paladin is probably the closest Melee to the Style of the Spell Casting classes you have already done. It is a melee but it is dependent on its spell points for buffs. It also has not only self healing options but party healing options even (not as strong as the Divine classes but can help out). It is very "Clicky" oriented - a lot of Features like Smite, and Divine Might etc. need to be monitored and used.

The Paladin life will get you use to the "Clicky" style of melee and can then be used to help you transition into the Monk which is a whole other level of "Clicky" abilities including finishers.

[me_TOO]

Paladin Monk Ranger Fighter Barbarian

[CorinBrightbane]

Consider barb for first life in chain of melee's. Gives 10 hp at level one and at level three take the barb past life active feat. Use this instead of toughness. At level 3 you have 30 extra hit points which is quite substantial (10 passive and 20 active feat). The active feat gives 20 right away and a 30 second rage which gives plus to strength for burst dps or pulling a str lever.

If you plan on tring at 20 worth it IMO. If not use your free feat swap to get toughness.

Toughness at level 20 gives you 22 hit points and qualifies you for epic toughness. But for leveling. Barb active feat is the way to go.


Also..as a barb, your not ever going to have a to hit problem because you don't
Have past lives.