DDOGamer: Heroic Past Lives and Epic Scaling

[geoffhanna]

I'm sizing up heroic past lives versus end-game requirements and I see a scaling mis-match.

-> Don't I?

[XodousRoC]

I'm sizing up heroic past lives versus end-game requirements and I see a scaling mis-match.

-> Don't I?

I think the game's long left single-life PLs behind (in the sense that a single life PL will not appreciably affect your next), but that stacks of PLs can be very, very powerful. 3x Wiz + 3x FvS might not guarantee landing your spells, but they still go a long way toward guaranteeing the intended target at least has to make it's save (versus ignoring you with spell resistance...looking at you EE Von3 mobs!!). As was mentioned on your blog, 3x Ranger + 3x Monk add +9 damage to every ranged attack, which is significant when all the crit multipliers start going bonkers in epics. 3x Pally + 3x Fighter + 3x Barb will make a smoother run through the heroic portion of a martial life, and just as every dc counts for casters, so too do the dc matter for combat tactics (of these, Barb, which used to be the must-have, is probably most optional), and healing amp is always welcome...especially when we are expected to carry a power item and twist-heal ourselves in epics. +1 UMD feels like a wasted life, but +3 is a 15 percent improvement on your scrolling chances, so 3x Arti is very beneficial as well.

All that said, no single PL is a win. The benefit of each is relative to goals of your next life. but I think each is best applied in stacks. Perhaps it's time to think about applying stacks of completionist? After all, each heroic life will stack up to three times, and to gain stacks of completionist, we have to live each individual life multiple times. That's a significant investment of time and resources. Many of us will never see the first completionist feat. Most would never see the second. The percentage seeing the third would be miniscule. Tied into the 3x completionist idea, I think it is past time for it to become a passive feat as well, auto-granted upon achieving x level. That would make it a great benefit, and increase its reward value on feat starved builds.

None of that makes your decision easier, but that's sort of the beauty of character planning in DDO, is it not? Best of luck!!

[Enoach]

I think the question is a tough one

Generically for a Flesh and non-PM build the Paladin +5% healing Amplification per PL is a nice bonus (keeping in mind that in U23 more people might find paladin fun to play)

But if you use hirelings a lot the Druid +2 minion ability scores per PL can make them more survivable or even at lower levels powerful enough to fight for you

I only have 6 characters, and while I envy your B-Day gift, I don't envy the choices you are about to make.

good luck

[ArcaneArcher52689]

This is the one thing paladins were/are OP at before U23. Their past life is useful on almost every singe toon you could make. The only exception being in-form pale masters.

Example:
let's say the current epic standard for healing amp is 30% item, 10% enhancement/item, 10% guild, for a total of 1.573.
1 paladin past life brings that to 1.65
2 past lives brings you to 1.73
3 past lives brings you to 1.82

And if you have more healing amp than that, it only gets better!!!

[whereispowderedsilve]

Is ddogamer.com site not loading for anyone else? Or just taking a LONG time to load?

Or is it just me? Please & thanks! :P! ! !

[geoffhanna]

Is ddogamer.com site not loading for anyone else? Or just taking a LONG time to load?

Or is it just me? Please & thanks! :P! ! !

No it is slow. Again. Stupid ISP has some 'splainin' to do.

[whereispowderedsilve]

No it is slow. Again. Stupid ISP has some 'splainin' to do.

Really sorry to hear that Geoff! Have a great weekend otherwise! ! :P! !

[Oxarhamar]

I think the game's long left single-life PLs behind (in the sense that a single life PL will not appreciably affect your next), but that stacks of PLs can be very, very powerful. 3x Wiz + 3x FvS might not guarantee landing your spells, but they still go a long way toward guaranteeing the intended target at least has to make it's save (versus ignoring you with spell resistance...looking at you EE Von3 mobs!!). As was mentioned on your blog, 3x Ranger + 3x Monk add +9 damage to every ranged attack, which is significant when all the crit multipliers start going bonkers in epics. 3x Pally + 3x Fighter + 3x Barb will make a smoother run through the heroic portion of a martial life, and just as every dc counts for casters, so too do the dc matter for combat tactics (of these, Barb, which used to be the must-have, is probably most optional), and healing amp is always welcome...especially when we are expected to carry a power item and twist-heal ourselves in epics. +1 UMD feels like a wasted life, but +3 is a 15 percent improvement on your scrolling chances, so 3x Arti is very beneficial as well.

All that said, no single PL is a win. The benefit of each is relative to goals of your next life. but I think each is best applied in stacks. Perhaps it's time to think about applying stacks of completionist? After all, each heroic life will stack up to three times, and to gain stacks of completionist, we have to live each individual life multiple times. That's a significant investment of time and resources. Many of us will never see the first completionist feat. Most would never see the second. The percentage seeing the third would be miniscule. Tied into the 3x completionist idea, I think it is past time for it to become a passive feat as well, auto-granted upon achieving x level. That would make it a great benefit, and increase its reward value on feat starved builds.

None of that makes your decision easier, but that's sort of the beauty of character planning in DDO, is it not? Best of luck!!

This^^

3x monk, ranger, rogue, paladin, artificer go a long way to making my multi class fleshie Artificer effective in EE.

Obvious monk ranger adds ranged damage
Paladin adds 15%hamp goes a long way stack item Hamp.
Rogue adds to trap survivability
And you wouldn't think an Arti would need more UMD but those extra points go a long way when you can spend skill points elsewhere and not lose any UMD.

As well as a pile of other PL feats at 2x and 1x

3x is the magic number.... stack them up stack them up.

[Thalone]

No it is slow. Again. Stupid ISP has some 'splainin' to do.

Same ISP as Turbine?