DDOGamer: The Doom of the Mad Lute

[geoffhanna]

Seven years it waited. Seven years!

-> For this?

[cru121]

yeah the lute sucks. it's sad. how would you fix it?

My take:

remove class req.
Red slot
Resonance 90
CHA to hit/damage
2[w]
20 x3

If wielder has bard levels:
+0.1[w] for each bard level (up to +2[w])

For bard 20:
Permanent Holy Sword effect on the weapon

[geoffhanna]

That would be an awesome epic version. Though maybe the augment should be orange.

I think all they need to do for the Heroic version is make a one-handed version. Or maybe add Anthem. That's enough for my bard to use it, I think.

[TeacherSyn]

That would be an awesome epic version. Though maybe the augment should be orange.

I think all they need to do for the Heroic version is make a one-handed version. Or maybe add Anthem. That's enough for my bard to use it, I think.

I'd like to have a special sound off of it on a critical hit.

KA-BONG! *sproing*

Quick Draw McGraw would be proud (and kickin' our butts with it)

[cru121]

That would be an awesome epic version.

I think it would be just OK for lvl 18... Considering it would compete for example with Bone Crusher, what is a silly quarterstaff.

[cdbd3rd]

Seven years it waited. Seven years!

-> For this?

Nice.



I mean, sad, but nice. ya know? So kinda like a "sadnice".

[phillymiket]

A bard two hander will never be very popular especially a caster item for THF.
Maybe if Warchanter gets some THF bonuses to balance out SWF Swashing.

Just change the Mad Lute to drop as a cosmetic.

[IronClan]

I think there are a lot of really cool mid Heroic to low epic level weapons that a person could create a build around, or did create a build around in the past, that have been surpassed so much over the course of time that it's a shame.

Sadly the Dev's don't really prioritize or often consider character continuity and DDO is punishing of attempts by players to keep a "theme" or concept character viable through out a life (let alone multiple TR's). Everything in the game pretty much is geared towards throwing out flavor or concept and TR'ing or Epic TR'ing as soon as you cap. After all if you identify a character strongly with a concept it keeps you from TR'ing that into a unrelated build which almost all TR's require. TR'ing is DDOs only endgame. So continuity of characters is something they discourage (intentionally or not) at a design level.

This is the takeaway I got on the PC, as attempts to engage them in a conversation about character continuity found limited success.

I posted my old characters that are stalled and dead in the water because they designed and built at a time when their signature concept or flavor or particular gear set was still close enough to endgame viability that with some sacrifices to flavor they could still be fun to play.

My most immediate example is a Duergar flavored Dwarf, wielding Deathnip and Hammer of the leaden Clouds (Sonic DPS, CC and melee hybrid, the sonic stuff is a stand in for Psionics). Obviously these weapons are severely behind the power curve now.

The good news is Mirror of glamoring can partially or in some limited cases circumvent the obsolescence of weapons and lack of continuity within weapon/types. The bad news is this is only true where the Dev's actually put a newer less obsolete OPTION for that type of character.

Often there's no newer analog or comparable weapon to say for example Deathnip, so while I can make a THunderforged Sonic Hammer and cosmetic it to look like Hammer of the leaden clouds I can not cosmetic Pirron's Talon because it's junk. TF picks are not terrible but they aren't 19-20X4 either, so the feel I was going for (the continuity) is not there.

Another example is a Sword and Board toon, you can't craft a shield, and there are very few good shields in the game, and even less good large shields. So I can't craft a shield that's comparable Epic version of say, Fanion, and then use a mirror to make it look like Fanion. I have to choose from the very slim pickings the Developers have put in.

Some of the Great "Flavor" weapons that in the past could have spurred a concept build, or would today if they had a later level version or analog IMO:

* Asterisk denotes weapons that they decided not to make epic, these deliberately omitted weapons are evidence to my mind, that the Dev's have a design mandate to discourage continuity in characters because they want to emphasize TR'ing.

Coronation Morningstar from Heroic Orchard tome pages*
Razorend from Heroic Orchard tome pages*
Deathnip of course*
Unwavering Ardency*
Staff of the Petitioner*
Breeze*
Rhal's Might
Terror
Chimera's Fang
Whirlwind (DEX Greatsword)
This threads Namesake Mad Lute
Skypirates Dagger*
Tfling Assasins Blade*
Greatbow of the Scrag*
Chieftains Spear*
Moonhowl Axe*
All the shield of legend Turn ins*
many others.

To my way of looking at things these are all opportunities missed. A narrowing of options, because highly unique/themed/unusual weapons like these are rare at endgame. In fact at end game everything is Generic TF weapon or the Crafted ToEE weapons, or one of the tiny handful of Mythic weapons (Like the named ToEE weapons)

So right now at endgame the weapons that might conceivably "inspire a build" are almost non existent. Bloom, Spinal Tap, Cranium Cracker... a couple of the others. The rest is one size fits all crafted weapons (but no shields) that are so poorly balanced that only a couple options are worth doing and all of them emphasize a handful of weapon types that do not promote diversity in either weapon choice, or race choice OR build choice.

[phillymiket]

I think there are a lot of really cool mid Heroic to low epic level weapons that a person could create a build around, or did create a build around in the past, that have been surpassed so much over the course of time that it's a shame.

It sure is a shame.
Everything is surpassed by the same crafted weapons everyone else has.
I think they are scared of making the next ESOS.

[Jetrule]

Mad lute Can be used effectively by a Spell singer focused bard or a War chanter /Spell singer. It may not be the optimal or most solo able bard. It would still be superior to any pre bard pass bard. And a great group member. I might suggest it as a option for a Fey pact warlock too.

[phillymiket]

Mad lute Can be used effectively by a Spell singer focused bard or a War chanter /Spell singer. It may not be the optimal or most solo able bard. It would still be superior to any pre bard pass bard. And a great group member. I might suggest it as a option for a Fey pact warlock too.

Perhaps a fey pact.
It's just that it take up two hands and doesn't provide enough to justify that fact.
DDO loves to mix melee and caster properties on Named Items when most would rather have focused items.
Wouldn't a blasting chime with a caster stick for each hand do much more?
It's not terrible, but certainly flavor is the only reason you would pick it.

[Uska]

OH how do I know the feeling but technically almost any musical insturment would be two handed

[UurlockYgmeov]

DOOM!

(as in - He Said DOOM!)