Umd

[JPGR]

Hello all,

Pure ranger, lvl 20, 5 epic.....Is there any way I can get Use Magic Device, or has that ship sailed. Feat swap?... Epic destiny?....Anything? My gut tells me no, but I thought I would try here anyway.

[Paryan]

Feat swap, UMD gear, Charisma Gear etc. are the only ways to add to it now...The only way to boost the actual skill is by Lesser or greater reincarnating, or TR'ing and adding it as you come back up in levels.

[HungarianRhapsody]

Hello all,

Pure ranger, lvl 20, 5 epic.....Is there any way I can get Use Magic Device, or has that ship sailed. Feat swap?... Epic destiny?....Anything? My gut tells me no, but I thought I would try here anyway.

Lesser Reincarnation to shuffle your skills or True Reincarnation to restart your character at level 1.

Those are your only two options if you want to get your hands on some UMD skill points.

[Memnir]

The only way I can think of would be a Reincarnation - be it Lesser or Greater.

[JPGR]

Ok so it IS possible at this stage.... Im still confused tho - according to the WIKI, UMD is a trainable feat, implying I would have to acquire at least 1 level of a class that possesses UMD as a feat. If I understand the mechanics correctly, that would preclude feat swap and /or lesser reincarnation and only leave me TR as an option. Is this correct? My preference of any possibility (s) would be:
1 feat swap -easiest
2 lesser reincarnation - possible
3 TR - not desirable as I dont have another toon for epic content

OK...I read the WIKI again, and it says I can try without having the feat trained (0% chance at the moment), so I would have to do a lesser reincanation to reset my skill points to allow any semblance of success - that and increasing my CHA....is this more on track?

[karl_k0ch]

If you haven't spent any points into UMD on your ranger, the fastest way to get UMD is a LR (or GR), not necessarily a +1, +3 or +5 one.

UMD can be trained as a non-class skill on a ranger, which means that you will have 11 ranks of that skill at level 20, and 16 at level 25. If that's enough for you, with your items and feat disposition - that's something for you to decide.

A LR (or GR)+1 would allow to swap your first level for rogue, get UMD as a class skill, and have 23 ranks at level 20, and 28 at level 25.

[Paryan]

Ok so it IS possible at this stage.... Im still confused tho - according to the WIKI, UMD is a trainable feat, implying I would have to acquire at least 1 level of a class that possesses UMD as a feat. If I understand the mechanics correctly, that would preclude feat swap and /or lesser reincarnation and only leave me TR as an option. Is this correct? My preference of any possibility (s) would be:
1 feat swap -easiest
2 lesser reincarnation - possible
3 TR - not desirable as I dont have another toon for epic content

The feat swap would only add +3 UMD for UMD skill focus. It would not allow you to train the skill UMD, since you cannot acquire more levels in which to train skills (without reincarnating). So in my earlier post (and I admit, I wasn't that clear), you can add to your total UMD with gear that adds UMD such as golden cartoush etc., swap a feat to skill focus, build a green steel +6 Cha skill item, get a persuasion item, raise your charisma, get a GH clicky (adds +4 to every skill while in effect) etc. but all of this only adds while the item is equipped or buff in place (except for the feat).

To raise the base UMD, you need to allocate skill build points to it as you level up. It all depends upon what you want to be able to do with UMD...if only low level wizzy buffs, you may be good with the above suggestions. If you're looking to be able to use heal scrolls (UMD of 39 for no chance to fail iirc), you'll have a hard time reaching that without additional points added during levelups.

[JPGR]

Ok...things seem clearer now. Thanks for all the info and advice. Im thinking that if I want to impact my character in a meaningful way I should LR and take 1st lvl rogue and level the rest in ranger....poss thro in 1 lvl of monk...many posts on the usefulness of said combos. So many choices - so little time. The only sacrifice ID be making by muticlassing is giving up my capstone - which is broken anyway. Not to be too cynical, but I wonder what the chances of the devs fixing the ranger capstone would be AFTER I multi class - hmmm....
Again thanks for all the useful info.

[HungarianRhapsody]

My dad bought a snow blower a few years ago. One of the neighbors saw him unloading it from the car and said that it wouldn't snow for the rest of the winter since my dad just bought the new tool. My dad said that he'd buy a new snowblower every year if that actually worked.

If Turbine does make a worthwhile Ranger capstone after you LR, then the community will be forever grateful!

If you take Rogue as your first level, you'll be able to max out Search and Disable Device as class skills as well as UMD. Ranger has enough skill points that you can continue to do that as you level and you'll do just fine on traps on Normal and Hard with appropriate equipment (Int gear or Fox potions, Search gear, Disable Device gear and Heroism/Greater Heroism).

Splashing just one level of Rogue can be a lot of fun and on Rangers, you really don't give up much.

[HungarianRhapsody]

Side note: Write down all of the feats and skills that you have/want ahead of time before you LR. You don't want to forget what you were going for in the middle of the process.

Also, take screen shots of your Epic Destiny XP tree before you LR just in case something... awkward... happens.

[Talon_Moonshadow]

UMD is a skill.

It is not a "class skill" for Rangers.
But you can asign skill points to it as you level up. Being a "cross-class skill" it will cost you 2 skill points for every 1 rank in UMD.

A Ranger can have a maximum of 11 (11.5 actually, but the .5 is useless) ranks in UMD at level 20.

UMD is a charisma based skill. So your Cha modifyer adds to UMD.

Some items also ad to UMD.
Several types of buffs add to all skills.


There is a feat you can take called "Skill Focus Use Magic Device" that will add 3 to your UMD skill. You can only take this once.


You can use a Lesser or Greater Reincarnation to basically reroll your character from level 1 and reselect your skills and feats.

Fred the Mindlflayer in House J will let you swap a feat, but not skills.


IMO, Rangers have low UMD. Not high enough to get no-fail Heal scrolls.
They do get enough to be useful for Rez scrolls, although they will fail a lot.

With the right gear, and epic levels, it may be possible for a pure Rgr to get no fail Heal scrolls by level 25. (not sure)

I do usually take UMD on my Rangers.

[JPGR]

[QUOTE=HungarianRhapsody;4886167]My dad bought a snow blower a few years ago. One of the neighbors saw him unloading it from the car and said that it wouldn't snow for the rest of the winter since my dad just bought the new tool. My dad said that he'd buy a new snowblower every year if that actually worked.

If Turbine does make a worthwhile Ranger capstone after you LR, then the community will be forever grateful!


LOL! ...well then, it would be my duty for the greater good -love the metaphor.

@all the others who took time out to offer advice -thanks. Hopefully I can return the favor some day.

[Aerendil]

IMO, Rangers have low UMD. Not high enough to get no-fail Heal scrolls.
They do get enough to be useful for Rez scrolls, although they will fail a lot.

With the right gear, and epic levels, it may be possible for a pure Rgr to get no fail Heal scrolls by level 25. (not sure)

I do usually take UMD on my Rangers.

You can get reasonable UMD for sure.
11 ranks
5 epic levels
6 cha (let's say starting of 10 + 4 tome + 8 item = 22)
3 umd item (i.e. epic spyglass)
6 cha skills bonus item (i.e. greensteel)
5 ranger or human/half-elf skills boost clicky
4 greater heroism
==
40

Throw in a Bard buffer, or light monk, or airship buffs and yugo pots, or the recitation spell, or Skill Focus: UMD, or twist in Fatesinger's Lucidity, and suddenly you have a really silly UMD, despite having half-ranks in it.

And who needs no-fail Heal scrolls when you're a pure Ranger with a blue bar and (should have) Empower Heal or something similar?
(and if it's not a battle-heal, you can swap out your weapon(s) for a nice devotion staff or something)

[droid327]

Arti also gives you trapping and UMD as a class skill, if you have access to the class....I'm debating between that and Rogue right now as well for a one-level splash on Ranger. There's definitely pros and cons either way.

[Inouk]

You can get reasonable UMD for sure.
11 ranks
5 epic levels
6 cha (let's say starting of 10 + 4 tome + 8 item = 22)
3 umd item (i.e. epic spyglass)
6 cha skills bonus item (i.e. greensteel)
5 ranger or human/half-elf skills boost clicky
4 greater heroism
==
40

Throw in a Bard buffer, or light monk, or airship buffs and yugo pots, or the recitation spell, or Skill Focus: UMD, or twist in Fatesinger's Lucidity, and suddenly you have a really silly UMD, despite having half-ranks in it.

And who needs no-fail Heal scrolls when you're a pure Ranger with a blue bar and (should have) Empower Heal or something similar?
(and if it's not a battle-heal, you can swap out your weapon(s) for a nice devotion staff or something)

While this is all possible it's largely impractical, at least for in combat. 8 int item, 3 umd item, 6 cha skills item, 4 GH (I presume clicky from gird?) would all likely be swaps unless you've sacrificed heavily on DPS gear. And I would never blow the enhancements on +5 skill boost. If you just want it for out of combat raise spells and self buffs then, by all means this works.

Is GH clicky available on anything but planar gird?

I suppose... if you have +6 int augment slotted, GH running, +5 cha on con-ops or min 2, that would get you to 30ish in combat. Add in UMD item swap and maybe +3 skills boost gets you to 36 on your own out of combat

[blerkington]

While this is all possible it's largely impractical, at least for in combat. 8 int item, 3 umd item, 6 cha skills item, 4 GH (I presume clicky from gird?) would all likely be swaps unless you've sacrificed heavily on DPS gear. And I would never blow the enhancements on +5 skill boost. If you just want it for out of combat raise spells and self buffs then, by all means this works.

Is GH clicky available on anything but planar gird?

I suppose... if you have +6 int augment slotted, GH running, +5 cha on con-ops or min 2, that would get you to 30ish in combat. Add in UMD item swap and maybe +3 skills boost gets you to 36 on your own out of combat

Hi,

My main, a ranger/rogue, uses a triple air GS item for +6 CHA skills and the tier 3 epic spyglass for +3 UMD and with +6 CHA crystal slotted, and good luck +2 slotted in his epic envenomed cloak.

I don't think he has made any major DPS sacrifices to wear that gear all the time. There are a variety of options for good DPS gear, and it needn't come at the cost of having a high UMD. But trying for both can make your gearing very dense, so some careful planning and access to a lot of gear to get the right combination for both will probably be required. If you want to post your current and aspirational gear load outs we might be able to make some helpful suggestions.

The benefits of being able to hit a high UMD without having to change gear, both in terms of speed if you need to use that scroll quickly, and in not incurring the UMD lag bug, are extremely valuable to me. Being able to rapidly scroll heal or resurrect someone when things turn bad won't be possible with a lot of gear swapping.

The OP doesn't need an INT item to boost his UMD, he needs a CHA item. Apart from the planar gird, the draconic necklace from the Amrath quests is another GH clicky, and 20 minute GH potions are available for commendation turn-ins in Eveningstar. I wouldn't recommend anything above the +2 skills boost, you must have better things to spend your AP on than that.

Thanks.

[Aerendil]

While this is all possible it's largely impractical, at least for in combat. 8 int item, 3 umd item, 6 cha skills item, 4 GH (I presume clicky from gird?) would all likely be swaps unless you've sacrificed heavily on DPS gear. And I would never blow the enhancements on +5 skill boost. If you just want it for out of combat raise spells and self buffs then, by all means this works.

Is GH clicky available on anything but planar gird?

I suppose... if you have +6 int augment slotted, GH running, +5 cha on con-ops or min 2, that would get you to 30ish in combat. Add in UMD item swap and maybe +3 skills boost gets you to 36 on your own out of combat

Yeah, it's for non-combat. I thought that was the point, though. A pure Ranger can self-heal just fine. Blue bar, Maximise/Empower Healing. Could even twist in Cocoon or something.
Out of combat, you can swap out as needed to buff up, teleport, whatever...

(ps - the GH I presume you just scroll-cast on yourself using your own UMD, but a Gird works too)

[ferrite]

You need at least 1 (or 1/2) rank in UMD to 'unlock' it, and that requires a heroic level-up. If you've spent all those skill points, then you must lesser or greater reincarnate to be able to re-spend them again to unlock the skill (for the purists, technically its referred to as an untrained skill and UMD cannot be used untrained.. I find 'unlock' to be much easier terminology for DDO). You don't even need to choose a class that uses UMD as a class skill, just spend 1 rank in it during one of your ranger level-ups.

After you unlock the skill, you can then apply any enhancement bonus or similar to improve it further. You can manage up to 20 and beyond with nothing but bonuses stacked atop that 1 rank, which is all you may need.