Eye of the Storm build

[Coyopa]

I have wanted to use Whirling Steel Strike ever since I found it some time ago. I toyed around with it a few times and never really got anywhere (but I also knew a lot less than I do now). I discussed this in the new player guidance forum a little while ago and finally got around to making it. I have the character up to 15th level now and I daresay this one borders on being the single most fun character I have. Now that I have it pretty well worked out, I thought I would post it for others to use and modify to suit themselves.

Obviously, the primary goal of the build was to make a viable Whirling Steel Strike monk multi-class. Coming in a close second, self-sufficiency is next. This means keeping Disable Device and Search max'd to enable the character to be a competent trapper. It also means having high healing amplification and taking advantage of the monk healing abilities.

Anyway, here is the build and then some more information after the break:

Character Plan by DDO Character Planner Version 03.14.02
DDO Character Planner Home Page

Level 20 Lawful Neutral Human Male
(12 Fighter \ 7 Monk \ 1 Rogue) 
Hit Points: 344
Spell Points: 0 
BAB: 17\17\22\27\27
Fortitude: 17
Reflex: 14
Will: 9

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
Abilities        Base Stats          Modified Stats
(32 Point)       (Level 1)             (Level 20)
Strength             16                    26
Dexterity            15                    17
Constitution         16                    18
Intelligence         12                    14
Wisdom                8                    10
Charisma              8                    10

Tomes Used
+2 Tome of Strength used at level 7
+2 Tome of Dexterity used at level 7
+2 Tome of Constitution used at level 7
+2 Tome of Intelligence used at level 7
+2 Tome of Wisdom used at level 7
+2 Tome of Charisma used at level 7

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
                 Base Skills         Modified Skills
Skills           (Level 1)            (Level 20)
Balance               6                     7
Bluff                -1                     2
Concentration         5                     8
Diplomacy            -1                     2
Disable Device        5                    25
Haggle               -1                     0
Heal                 -1                     0
Hide                  2                     3
Intimidate           -1                     2
Jump                  7                    26
Listen               -1                     0
Move Silently         2                     3
Open Lock             6                     7
Perform              n/a                    n/a
Repair                1                     2
Search                5                    25
Spot                  3                    17
Swim                  7                    12
Tumble                6                     7
Use Magic Device      3                     4

Level 1 (Rogue)
Feat: (Human Bonus) Power Attack
Feat: (Selected) Two Weapon Fighting
Enhancement: Human Versatility I


Level 2 (Fighter)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Weapon Focus: Slashing Weapons
Enhancement: Fighter Attack Boost I
Enhancement: Fighter Haste Boost I
Enhancement: Fighter Critical Accuracy I
Enhancement: Human Improved Recovery I


Level 3 (Fighter)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Cleave
Feat: (Selected) Stunning Blow
Enhancement: Fighter Strategy (Stunning Blow) I
Enhancement: Fighter Strength I


Level 4 (Fighter)


Level 5 (Fighter)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Weapon Specialization: Slashing Weapons


Level 6 (Fighter)
Feat: (Selected) Great Cleave


Level 7 (Fighter)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Dodge


Level 8 (Monk)
Feat: (Monk Bonus) Whirling Steel Strike


Level 9 (Monk)
Feat: (Selected) Improved Two Weapon Fighting
Feat: (Monk Bonus) Toughness
Enhancement: Fighter Attack Boost II
Enhancement: Fighter Haste Boost II
Enhancement: Kensei Longsword Mastery I
Enhancement: Fighter Critical Accuracy II
Enhancement: Fighter Kensei I
Enhancement: Fighter Strategy (Stunning Blow) II
Enhancement: Human Improved Recovery II
Enhancement: Racial Toughness I
Enhancement: Racial Toughness II
Enhancement: Fighter Toughness I
Enhancement: Fighter Toughness II


Level 10 (Monk)
Feat: (Monk Path) Path of Harmonious Balance: Fists of Light
Enhancement: Human Improved Recovery III
Enhancement: Monk Improved Recovery I


Level 11 (Monk)
Enhancement: Human Adaptability Strength I
Enhancement: Human Versatility II


Level 12 (Monk)
Feat: (Selected) Improved Critical: Slashing Weapons
Enhancement: Fighter Strength II


Level 13 (Monk)
Feat: (Monk Bonus) Mobility
Enhancement: Human Versatility III


Level 14 (Monk)
Enhancement: Monk Improved Recovery II


Level 15 (Fighter)
Feat: (Selected) Greater Two Weapon Fighting
Enhancement: Fighter Attack Boost III


Level 16 (Fighter)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Combat Expertise
Enhancement: Fighter Haste Boost III
Enhancement: Fighter Critical Accuracy III


Level 17 (Fighter)
Enhancement: Fighter Strategy (Stunning Blow) III
Enhancement: Fighter Longsword Specialization I


Level 18 (Fighter)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Spring Attack
Feat: (Selected) Whirlwind Attack
Enhancement: Fighter Haste Boost IV


Level 19 (Fighter)
Enhancement: Human Versatility IV


Level 20 (Fighter)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Greater Weapon Specialization: Slashing Weapons
Enhancement: Kensei Longsword Mastery II
Enhancement: Fighter Kensei II
Enhancement: Rogue Improved Trap Sense I

I chose light monk for the healing curse. Seven levels of monk to get Wholeness of Body and Monk Improved Recovery 2. Human is important for Human Improved Recovery, the extra skill point, and extra feat that comes with being human. Fire stance is the stance because with Jidz-Tet'ka you get another 25% healing amplification, but it is not worth taking Adept of Fire because Disciple of Candles is sufficient.

The build gets 15 feats between levels 1 and 20 - and it needs Every. Single. One.
Power Attack, Cleave, Great Cleave set you up for both great damage output during the heroic levels and Overwhelming Critical at epic levels. Dodge, Mobility, and Spring Attack net you some added defense and, with Combat Expertise, set you up for taking Whirlwind Attack. The rest of the feats should be mostly self-explanatory.

You could go dark monk to be able to also use short swords and I recognize that sticking with long swords is rather restrictive, especially since there are really only a couple of worthwhile long swords in the game in my opinion. I still am using Timeblade and Sirocco and they are surprisingly effective against most mobs even at level 15. However, if you go dark monk, then you lose the healing curse and you also lose the light monk finishing moves, such as Grasp of the Earth Dragon.

At epic levels, Overwhelming Critical at level 21 and probably Great Strength at level 24 - unless you are fortunate enough to get a +4 Constitution tome, in which case put +1 into Con at level 24 and then take Epic Toughness.

This is the end-game gear I have planned for this character at this time:


Goggles: Green Steel Goggles (Blindness Immunity, Resist Disease +6, Resist Poison +6, Fear Immunity, +100 spell points, +3 Exceptional bonus to Intelligence skills, Slay Living guard)

Helm: Green Steel Helm (+45 hit points, Heavy Fortification, +5 Protection, +6 Exceptional bonus to Constitution skills)

Necklace: Jorgundal's Collar (Melee Alacrity 15%, Striding +30%, Green Augment Slot[Greater False Life], Colorless Augment Slot[Wisdom +6])

Trinket: Epic Treasure Hunter's Spyglass (True Seeing, Search +20, Spot +20, Insightful Intelligence +2, Enhanced Use Magical Device +3, Green Augment Slot [+12 Physical Resistance Rating])

Cloak: Epic Cloak of Night (Invisibility Guard, Ghostly, Deathblock, Nightmare Guard, Dodge 2%, DR 5/Good)

Belt: Epic Spare Hand (Riposte, Exceptional Combat Mastery +5, Staggering Blow, Disable Device +15, Open Lock +15, Use Magical Device +3, Doublestrike 3%, Colorless Augment Slot [Intelligence +6], Blue Augment Slot [Good Luck +2])

Ring: Seal of House Avithoul (Dexterity +7, Sneak Attack Bonus +5, Exceptional Sneak Attack Bonus +3, Improved Deception)

Gloves: Purple Dragon Gauntlets (Strength +7, Insightful Constitution +2, Healing Amplification - 30%)

Boots: Epic Rock Boots (Corrosion +90, Superior Acid Lore, Stone Prison Guard, Earthgrab Guard, Slippery Surface Immunity, Inherent (10) Acid Resistance, Colorless Augment Slot [Charisma +6], Yellow Augment Slot [Acid Resistance 30%])

Ring: Seal of House Dun'Robar (Constitution +7, Dodge Bonus 4%, Stunning +10)

Bracers: Epic Jidz-Tet'ka (Armor Bonus +8, Exceptional Wisdom +1, Will Save +5, Tet-zik, The Enlightened Change, Yellow Augment Slot [Fire Resistance 30%], Colorless Augment Slot [+1 Exceptional Bonus to All Stats])

Armor: Spider-spun Caparison (Insightful Dexterity +3, Armor Bonus +9, Resistance Save +6, Enhanced Ki +1, Reinforced Fists, Concentration +15, Toughness)

Main hand: Epic Timeblade (+6 Enhancement Bonus, Doublestrike 6%, Improved Paralyzing, Improved Slowburst, Feather Falling, Freedom of Movement, Red Augment Slot [], Colorless Augment Slot [])

Off hand: Epic Sirocco (+6 Enhancement Bonus, Force Burst, Epic Telekinetic, Sirocco, Vertigo +10, Air Guard, Smoke Screen, Red Augment Slot [])


Granted, this is not going to be an easy set-up to achieve, but it shows what is possible (and it is obviously what I consider to be ideal). The Caparison and Seal of House Avithoul are Dexterity focused to help with the reflex saves. It is a toss-up whether to go Wisdom focused here instead, which would help with Spot, Wholeness of Body, Will saves, and armor class, rather than just armor class and Reflex saves. However, I decided it was more important to be better able to avoid getting spiked while disabling a trap.

Obviously, the weapons are simply the primary weapons and I will be (and expect you would too) swapping to other weapons situationally. This build can afford to go un-centered occasionally while disabling a trap, making Epic Utility Vest a viable option.

I named it the Eye of the Storm build because you tend to end up being at the center of a storm of chaos, death and destruction and this will be even more true once you have Seal of House Avithoul equipped.

[CoasterHops]

I see you have the three feats dodge, mobility and spring attack. These three feats are the prereq for a certain overlooked prestige class and dodge also doubles as the prereq for another prestige, this certain often overlooked class/prestige at lvl 12 offers 100% offhand strikes, it is also rumored to offer a stacking 5% melee attack speed at lvl 6 and at 12 it also offers a shield bonus of 4 ac when fighting with two weapons.

The prestige that uses dodge as a prereq also offers an ability called shadowfade which imo is far superior to healing from the other prestige this class can take.

One of these classes also offers TWF, ITWF, GTWF as free feats at levels 2, 6 and 12, it is rumored it also offers Manyshot and various ranged feats for free. This class does have less HP than your chosen Lvl 12 class and it is said that the feat requirements for the long forgotten prestige are steep, but what if you were planning on taking these feats for another purpose?

I love your concept and I actually had a 12Ranger/6fighter/2monk build that used whirlwind and it was fun but I have gone and changed it.

Think about a 12 Ranger Tempest/6 Monk Ninja/2 Fighter for Feats and Haste boost, you might be quietly surprised at what a Tempest II melee can put out for damage.

[Dieterstrife]

What's even better, is if you take 2 rogue instead of the 2 fighter (or just 1 rogue, and 7 monk which means more healamp) you actually have more skill points from the ranger levels which means it's so much easier to keep search and disable maxed, and still have some points for umd.

[stoerm]

Oathblade

[Dieterstrife]

Bloody hell I just realized that's a vorpal blade. Now it really is a choice between this or deathnips for my pally....

[Coyopa]

I like the suggestion to use Ranger Tempest 2. I will work that up in the coming days and post it back here. I like the character I created enough that he will definitely see a TR. I put a Greater Tome of Learning on him in the last couple of days, too. So, I may run him to 20 and then TR him to see how much better Ranger is than Fighter.

I am not keen on going dark monk because with the massive healing amp, the healing curse is very useful. Definitely will not drop from 7 monk to 6 monk because I want that extra 10% healing amp.

Oathblade is nice. I have not had any characters who can use it and so was not aware of the fact it is a long sword.