Challenge Farmer

[Stoner81]

Thanks buddy! I just need to learn to how play it properly and of course get him leveled up

Stoner81.

[unbongwah]

Since Toughness is only worth 18 HPs @ lvl 16, I would recommend Imp Sunder instead as lvl 6 monk feat; the Fortitude debuff always procs regardless of save (unless U19 nerfed it), so it can soften tougher targets for S.Fist etc.

[EllisDee37]

Since Toughness is only worth 18 HPs @ lvl 16, I would recommend Imp Sunder instead as lvl 6 monk feat; the Fortitude debuff always procs regardless of save (unless U19 nerfed it), so it can soften tougher targets for S.Fist etc.

Solid choice, and leaves you with 410 HP so it's not like you fall back to the 300s with the riff raff. hehheh. Improved Sunder is probably better, but for me personally I just can't fit in any more combat hotkeys. I should add a note to the build. Besides which if I can slot a stunning item I'll likely no-fail stun pretty much everything without any debuffs needed.



I've been experimenting with cormyrian weapons lately, and I think I might try to farm up a pair of +4 Screaming wraps of stunning +10 w/disintegrate or lightning strike, ML16. It'll likely take a (very) long while to get that perfect combo, but it's pretty cheap and reasonably easy to farm up the mats to try. Figure it costs around 55/30/55 mats for each try when you count the mats you get back deconning the failed attempts. That's like 50 tries for a large bagful (2500) of golden lions.

The actual experiment was for my level 18 fighter who was getting a little restless with Whirlwind. He's now using a +4 screaming cormyrian greatsword of paralyzing w/corrosive salt, which is less dps compared to Whirlwind but paralyzing is incredibly satisfying.

EDIT: Note that the cormyrian wraps require a sunset ritual ingredient, which I can't even imagine farming on this monk. I'm currently theorycrafting an epic challenge farmer (drow pure wizard, level 21 using draconic) for farming epic cannith and regular eveningstar mats now that the eveningstar ones are finally bta instead of btc.

[Stoner81]

Well just did a first test of this build with a guildie and we ran through Dr Rushmore's Mansion - Behind The Door. We are both level 8 at the moment and we managed to pull 921 mats in one run along with 10K in XP I freaking love this build!

Stoner81.

[MartinusWyllt]

So...how high can the reflex save be pushed for an iconic swimmer?

15 rogue levels, the +3 save v. traps from mechanic, 18 dex base...

lightning reflexes?

max swim, hide/ms?

Needs to be able to manage the swim and get the horn, obviously.

[EllisDee37]

So...how high can the reflex save be pushed for an iconic swimmer?

15 rogue levels, the +3 save v. traps from mechanic, 18 dex base...

lightning reflexes?

max swim, hide/ms?

Needs to be able to manage the swim and get the horn, obviously.

It's no doubt easily possible, but appears to be off topic for this thread. Maybe start a new one?

[MartinusWyllt]

It's no doubt easily possible, but appears to be off topic for this thread. Maybe start a new one?

...sure, though this is the updated version of your challenge farmer/crucible swimmer build, right?

https://www.ddo.com/forums/showthread.php/393575

ETA: was also wondering of 1 rogue/14 monk would be better for this specific application.

ETA2: pure rogue with stock gear: standing 25 reflex save, +5 v. traps from rogue, +3 v. traps from mechanic (assuming those stack)..33, 37 w/GH...+1 from ship buff...UMD is 19 so can't hit a 40, right, to scroll GH? (5% chance w/skill boost, 15% w/ship buffs?)...there's the 20 second uncanny dodge which hits 39 w/o GH. Could use other gear, I guess, but then wouldn't be FoTB.

[EllisDee37]

...sure, though this is the updated version of your challenge farmer/crucible swimmer build, right?

It is. Both of which are monks, not rogues. If you'd like to build a rogue challenge farmer, I would encourage you to start a thread for it.

I chose monk over rogue for the run speed, abundant step and bonus feats. Also, there are undead challenges, which may be problematic for a rogue. Abundant step is extremely helpful, but the run speed is the real key. Rogues are slow.

[MartinusWyllt]

It is. Both of which are monks, not rogues. If you'd like to build a rogue challenge farmer, I would encourage you to start a thread for it.

I chose monk over rogue for the run speed, abundant step and bonus feats. Also, there are undead challenges, which may be problematic for a rogue. Abundant step is extremely helpful, but the run speed is the real key. Rogues are slow.

Hence why I was also asking if you thought the iconic with the 1 rogue/14 monk could be workable. Losing DD is a definite negative but being able to take a second account (or on another server) and generate a lvl 15 toon that could come close is a heck of a lot faster than leveling & equipping a toon from 1, 4 or even 7. I don't know monks, so I don't know if the reflex save goal can be met as readily as it can for the pure rogue for the swimmer part of the equation when starting out shadar kai.

[EllisDee37]

Hence why I was also asking if you thought the iconic with the 1 rogue/14 monk could be workable. Losing DD is a definite negative but being able to take a second account (or on another server) and generate a lvl 15 toon that could come close is a heck of a lot faster than leveling & equipping a toon from 1, 4 or even 7. I don't know monks, so I don't know if the reflex save goal can be met as readily as it can for the pure rogue for the swimmer part of the equation when starting out shadar kai.

Monks and rogues have the same reflex save.

Losing DDoor hurts quite a bit, making all of Lava Caves problematic. If I were going to make an iconic challenge farmer I'd probably go with a 13/2 bladeforged sorc. Such a build gets everything you need for a good challenge farmer, but may run into mana problems in extraplanar palace.

Another option is a 14/1 sun elf wizard.

[MartinusWyllt]

Monks and rogues have the same reflex save...

Base save, yes, but do monks get the 1/3 lvl save v. traps boost, too, or something similar?

Splitting the functions via iconics sounds fine, though, yeah, mana limitations. maybe the new EK for sorc/wizard will help there, especially for the bladeforged.

Thanks!

ETA: Yes, monks can. Way of the Monkey adds +3 v traps by lvl 15...so +2 off-the-rack
Agility from ninja-spy adds +3, that matches the +5 from pure rogue levels.

(If I'm figuring this correctly.)


Though w/o level-ups in dex (started at 17) only appear to be hitting 32 v. traps counting the +3 from mechanic and +2 from monkey. (27 standing, that was with lightning reflexes as well, the agility should be counted in the 27, right?)


ETA1: Ah, yes, don't know monks, water stance, +4, standing 31 reflex save, so 36 v. traps...GH caps that off nicely as for swimming won't be going there alone, anyway.

I think I like this monk approach, thanks again!

[EllisDee37]

Base save, yes, but do monks get the 1/3 lvl save v. traps boost, too, or something similar?

Splitting the functions via iconics sounds fine, though, yeah, mana limitations. maybe the new EK for sorc/wizard will help there, especially for the bladeforged.

Thanks!

ETA: Yes, monks can. Way of the Monkey adds +3 v traps by lvl 15...so +2 off-the-rack
Agility from ninja-spy adds +3, that matches the +5 from pure rogue levels.

(If I'm figuring this correctly.)


Though w/o level-ups in dex (started at 17) only appear to be hitting 32 v. traps counting the +3 from mechanic and +2 from monkey. (27 standing, that was with lightning reflexes as well, the agility should be counted in the 27, right?)


ETA1: Ah, yes, don't know monks, water stance, +4, standing 31 reflex save, so 36 v. traps...GH caps that off nicely as for swimming won't be going there alone, anyway.

I think I like this monk approach, thanks again!

I'm not entirely sure where you're going with this. Elite crucible traps have a DC of 40, which means you need 38 reflex to attain "fail only on a 1" status. The breakdown of how this build hits 38 reflex save vs traps is detailed in post #2 of the thread. (Way of the Monkey is not part of it.)

[MartinusWyllt]

I'm not entirely sure where you're going with this. Elite crucible traps have a DC of 40, which means you need 38 reflex to attain "fail only on a 1" status. The breakdown of how this build hits 38 reflex save vs traps is detailed in post #2 of the thread. (Way of the Monkey is not part of it.)

An off-the-rack iconic monk that can do it..as I mentioned a few posts back in this thread.

You included:

10 infused chaosrobe
2 luck (trinket)

to reach that goal.

Using your build as a guide with just a couple of alterations can give a shardar-kai that can hit that without any additional gear. Might be nice to throw a robe/outfit and an underwater action item in there, but can run then right to gianthold on any server fresh out of the garrett and make the swim.

Yeah, yeah, make my own thread.

[EllisDee37]

Yeah, yeah, make my own thread.

I actually started a brainstorming thread to make an out of the box iconic challenge farmer back in August. In the end, the only real choices are bladeforged sorc or sun elf wizard in order to get DDoor for lava caves and decent enough run speed (via haste) in mansion and kobold island.

I mean, sure, you can make a rogue to run challenges, but you can make anything to run challenges. It won't be as effective but it will work. No need to worry about traps at all; simply skip that one hall in mansion and your trap worries go away. All four pure iconics can run challenges right out of the box.

This isn't really a theorycrafting thread, though.

[whereispowderedsilve]

I actually started a brainstorming thread to make an out of the box iconic challenge farmer back in August. In the end, the only real choices are bladeforged sorc or sun elf wizard in order to get DDoor for lava caves and decent enough run speed (via haste) in mansion and kobold island.

I mean, sure, you can make a rogue to run challenges, but you can make anything to run challenges. It won't be as effective but it will work. No need to worry about traps at all; simply skip that one hall in mansion and your trap worries go away. All four pure iconics can run challenges right out of the box.

This isn't really a theorycrafting thread, though.

My apologies: PDK bard? 13 bard 2 rogue 1 fighter? The 1 posted earlier up in the thread, I thought had *some* merit!

Anywhoo, back to your regularly scheduled thread, keep up the great work Ellis! :P! ! !

[Postumus]

Any chance u can do this up as 1 of the Iconics? I'll let u figure it out :P! ! If not thanks anyways! Cheers! Keep up the great work! !

Could probably make a serviceable Bladeforged Punk or Spunk (Sor/Pal/Monk) to run challenges. Fast, self healing, decent melee damage (decent enough for challenges).

[MartinusWyllt]

...
I mean, sure, you can make a rogue to run challenges, but you can make anything to run challenges. It won't be as effective but it will work. No need to worry about traps at all; simply skip that one hall in mansion and your trap worries go away. All four pure iconics can run challenges right out of the box.

This isn't really a theorycrafting thread, though.

I did already write that your monk approach for a swimmer appears better than the rogue approach. I've tested the rogue and it worked for the crucible, I've not tested the 1 rogue/14 monk that I rolled based on your build, but looks solid.

[EllisDee37]

I'm rather interested in this discussion, and would love to delve into it in more detail over in this thread:

Help me craft an Iconic Challenge Farmer

EDIT: And yeah, a PDK bard has definite potential. Native DDoor and Haste? That's almost all the way there!

I would really, really like to be able to post a full iconic challenge farmer build thread that people could easily follow to roll up a brand new iconic who is ready to farm challenges with his default gear. As in, you decide you need challenge mats, quickly roll it up to farm the mats, then delete it. Repeat as necessary. That's definitely the dream.

But again, please, in the linked thread.

[EllisDee37]

Tier 2: Elemental Ki Strike: Unbalancing Strike

This is the greatest thing since sliced bread.

I have a crafted pair of handwraps for devashta: +3 holy of vampirism. (Can now be +4 with the ML change on crafted weapons.) But thanks to unbalancing strike they're no longer needed. I don't even need lesser vampirism soloing level 20 buying time. I just go to town with my +5 holy of evil outsider bane with nothing but healing touch.

It turns out that unbalancing strike is almost 100% effective in turning devashta around. She turns around for around a half a second. It takes her a half second to turn around, she's turned for half a second, then another half second to turn back. This greatly disrupts her attack sequence, for another half second. What this means is that 2 out of every 3 seconds she is wholly unable to attack, since unbalancing strike has a 3 second cooldown. Plus it lets you do sneak attack on her so she dies faster.

Unbalancing strike is so good for this challenge farmer I can't stand it.

NOTE: It turns around mobs who aren't even attacking you. If a mob is beating on a kobold and you hit it with unbalancing, it turns around from the kobold. Same deal for extractors. Full of win.

[Arcanegrin]

If you were going to run this a bit in mabar and happened to get a +5 tome which stat would you use it on and would that change anything about your build or starting stats? Currently I'm sitting at level 21 on my challenge farmer grabbing extra epic tokens and hearts of wood.