New Build Help from old player

[Dakthur]

Hi all,

Was wondering if you could help me with a new/updated build. I haven't played a bard since long time ago, back before swash.

I have a lvl 6 dwarf bard, 28-point build. I was doing warchanter with 2wf (dwarven axes).

Im looking for a good survivability and good dps build. I mostly solo, except for the quests that require more.people or the occasional fun group.

For a 28-point build, and dwarf, is it better to stay warchanter or go swash now ? (All my toons are dwarf, its just a personal preference)

[UurlockYgmeov]

are you planning on LR?

[Dakthur]

I can LR or just start over. Im pretty open to peoples suggestions.

Also, Im quite a ways from having enough favor for a 32-point build. Might consider paying for the TP if there is a sale, to get the 32-point build option.

[N-0cturn]

If the char is old enough that he got a raiders rewards box and/or a lesser +20 heart I would definitly to a lesser TR and not a do over.

I think Swashbuckler would work better since you have to depend on less stats and can pretty much ignore Charisma.

The dwarven defender parody build of Zoda (https://www.ddo.com/forums/showthrea...efender-parody) is a good starting point, but it is a bit outdated. You no longer need Str for Overwhelming Critical and you only need Fighter 3 for the defender stance, maybe 4 to grab the 20% HP bonus and Swift defense.

Stat wise I would go:
STR 10 (lesser Restoration pots will be your friends for str draining effects in some quests)
DEX 13 (enough for precision)
CON 20 (all level up points go here)
WIS 8
INT 8
CHA 11

Levelling would be a bit hard until you get "Throw your weight around", which would not be a problem if you lesser TR since you can get it at level 6.

Several Splits would be possible with this. 3-4 Fighter levels are great for the feats and the stance. You could also go for evasion since swashbuckler can get the reflex save pretty high. So maybe 14 bard 4 fighter 2 rogue or 15 bard 3 fighter 2 to get Inspire excellence as well.

[Fedora1]

If the char is old enough that he got a raiders rewards box and/or a lesser +20 heart I would definitly to a lesser TR and not a do over.

I disagree on the LR. I'd not waste a heart for a L6 character. Start at L1 and you're back to L6 in no time.

But I agree a swash makes the best bard now-a-days. The attack speed and crits are through the roof.

[Dakthur]

This is probably a stupid question, but doing swash using one of the basic weapons required for swash does more DPS than 2wf a pair of dwarven axes or khopesh/falchion/etc ?

[N-0cturn]

I will try to find something for WC as well.

The problem is that you need to max Cha to get a working DC on the freeze abilities. The best choice as damage stat should be Str with a level in FvS to get Divine Might. TWF is out of the question because you already need points in Str, Con and Cha. And SWF with some points in swash should beat THF. You could also use Cha to damage but with Scaldic Rage, Rage spell and Divine Might, Strength will always be higher.

For a split I would go with 18 Bard, 1 FvS, 1 Barb
18 Bards gets you the full BAB core which is very nice to have since Dreadnought would be the preferred Destiny and not Divine Crusader. Also since your DC depends on bard levels there is not much sense to split further.
1 FvS gets you Divine Might, Spell Points and better saves
1 Barb gets you Improved Power attack and the 1. Ravager Core and 10% movement speed. (Rage Spell and Skaldic Rage count as being raged for the Core)

Stats:
STR 14
DEX 8
CON 16
WIS 8
INT 8
CHA 16 (all level up points go here)

Feats: Power Attack, Improved Critical, empower Healing, Single Weapon Fighting, Greater Single Weapon Fighting, Improved Single Weapon Fighting, Overwhelming Critical, Inspire Excellence

and 2 choices of: Quicken, Cleave, Great Cleave, Shield Mastery, Improved Shield Mastery (I would probably go for Quicken + Cleave)

Overall this build should work pretty good as well. Freezing is a lot of fun and the DC should be enough except for some EE quests.

Gearing is a little bit harder on the other hand. Especially in Heroics you will probably only find stunning of the weapon. One way around this would be to craft stunning on a buckler. If you don't have the crafting levels yourself someone else might help out. Stunning +6 is very easy to craft even as unbound and even stunning +8 is not that bad.

However since you are looking for a mostly solo build with good survivability and DPS, I would go with swash.

[unbongwah]

I disagree on the LR. I'd not waste a heart for a L6 character. Start at L1 and you're back to L6 in no time.

And I disagree with your disagreement, b/c his toon ought to have a free raider's box, so I wouldn't ditch it.

This is probably a stupid question, but doing swash using one of the basic weapons required for swash does more DPS than 2wf a pair of dwarven axes or khopesh/falchion/etc ?

Right now, SWF Swashbuckler is just stupidly OP compared to THF/TWF Warchanter. However, if you want to stick with TWF, have a look at War Dancer and my (unfortunately obsolete) Bardcher thread.

[N-0cturn]

I disagree on the LR. I'd not waste a heart for a L6 character. Start at L1 and you're back to L6 in no time.

But a newly rolled char would not have a raiders box or a +20 heart. If the current char has neither of those, sure re-roll is the best way.

This is probably a stupid question, but doing swash using one of the basic weapons required for swash does more DPS than 2wf a pair of dwarven axes or khopesh/falchion/etc ?

That really depends on the specific case. In most cases the improved Crit profile of 18-20 x3, will be better than the increased die.

However on my own bard I went from SWF to Khopesh TWF because this also meant I could spent the AP in other trees (mostly Harper) and wear medium armor. This only makes sense with at least 32 build points and more importantly access to stat tomes. For you I can't see TWF working because you can't get 17 Dex without loosing too much Con, Cha and Str.

THF would work on the WC version I posted and it would be a solid choice. The maul would be the weapon of choice in Epics, because it has a 19-20 x3 Crit Profile in Dreadnought.

EDIT: On a WC this is basically a question if you want better Single Target DPS or better Trash DPS. Freezing a group of mobs is more fun if you can Cleave them right afterwards with a big hammer .

In groups that's not really an issue. As soon as you freeze something most other players will stop what they are doing to kill that mob. Most people just love big numbers on helpless mobs.

[Fedora1]

And I disagree with your disagreement, b/c his toon ought to have a free raider's box, so I wouldn't ditch it.

But a newly rolled char would not have a raiders box or a +20 heart. If the current char has neither of those, sure re-roll is the best way.

Good points. I am an alto-holic and my mindset was keep this guy as a WC and start a new Swash. If you are only going to have 1 toon then yes, LR is smarter.

[Lumpsack]

I will try to find something for WC as well.

The problem is that you need to max Cha to get a working DC on the freeze abilities. The best choice as damage stat should be Str with a level in FvS to get Divine Might. TWF is out of the question because you already need points in Str, Con and Cha. And SWF with some points in swash should beat THF. You could also use Cha to damage but with Scaldic Rage, Rage spell and Divine Might, Strength will always be higher.

For a split I would go with 18 Bard, 1 FvS, 1 Barb
18 Bards gets you the full BAB core which is very nice to have since Dreadnought would be the preferred Destiny and not Divine Crusader. Also since your DC depends on bard levels there is not much sense to split further.
1 FvS gets you Divine Might, Spell Points and better saves
1 Barb gets you Improved Power attack and the 1. Ravager Core and 10% movement speed. (Rage Spell and Skaldic Rage count as being raged for the Core)

Stats:
STR 14
DEX 8
CON 16
WIS 8
INT 8
CHA 16 (all level up points go here)

Feats: Power Attack, Improved Critical, empower Healing, Single Weapon Fighting, Greater Single Weapon Fighting, Improved Single Weapon Fighting, Overwhelming Critical, Inspire Excellence

and 2 choices of: Quicken, Cleave, Great Cleave, Shield Mastery, Improved Shield Mastery (I would probably go for Quicken + Cleave)

Overall this build should work pretty good as well. Freezing is a lot of fun and the DC should be enough except for some EE quests.

Gearing is a little bit harder on the other hand. Especially in Heroics you will probably only find stunning of the weapon. One way around this would be to craft stunning on a buckler. If you don't have the crafting levels yourself someone else might help out. Stunning +6 is very easy to craft even as unbound and even stunning +8 is not that bad.

However since you are looking for a mostly solo build with good survivability and DPS, I would go with swash.

I totally agree with this - its an outstanding build, easily better than my pure artificer.

As I took a similar route I have also thrown in some warchanter after I'd done with swashbuckler.