Dual-box openers

[EllisDee37]

I'm trying to come up with the most useful dual-box opener builds for various heroic levels. The goal is to make the opener for a given level range provide all (or as many as possible) of the specialized services called for by quests in that range.

My assumption for a dual-box account is that it starts off with both expansions during a Black Friday sale, then slowly buys adventure packs on sale, starting with the lowest level packs first. That means no premium races or classes (except druids, pdk, shadar-kai and sun-elf), no 32pt builds at first, no shared bank, and virtually no crafting skills. (Only unbound crafting shards, no masterful.)

In addition to any quest-specific functions, an opener is assumed to be able to handle all trapping needs. In a perfect world the opener will run really fast, be able to teleport, and have DDoor.

Level 3
Level 7
Level 11
Level 15
Level 21

Feedback is encouraged. Any build or gear choices that could be made better? Any specialized needs the openers don't cover? All suggestions and ideas welcome.

[EllisDee37]

Design Goals:

• General
  • Disable Device 25+ (yes)
  • Spot 17 (yes)
• Stealthy Repossession
  • Hide & Move Silently 20+ (yes)
• Swiped Signet
  • Wisdom rune: 15-18 (no)

Dual-box Opener (Level 3)
2/1 Rogue/Barbarian
True Neutral Human


Level Order

1. Rogue
2. Barbarian
3. Rogue


Stats
               28pt     32pt
               ----     ----
Strength        14       14
Dexterity       16       16
Constitution    10       14
Intelligence    16       16
Wisdom           8        8
Charisma         8        8


Skills
          R  B  R
          1  2  3
         ---------
Disable   4  1  1   6
Open Lo   4  1  1   6
Search    4  1  1   6
Spot      4  1  1   6
Jump      4     2   6
Hide      4     2   6
Move Si   4     2   6
UMD       4     2   6
Bluff     4         4
Balance   4         4
Haggle    4         4
Swim      3         3
Tumble    1         1
         ---------
         48  8 12


Feats

 1        : Power Attack
 1 Human  : Cleave
 3        : Skill Focus: Spot


Enhancements (12 of 12 AP)

Mechanic (7 AP)
Arbalester
Mechanics III, Awareness III
Assassin (4 AP)
Knife in the Darkness
Stealthy III
Human (1 AP)
Skills Boost

Gear

Helmet  : Spot +5
Goggles : Troubleshooter's Goggles
Necklace: Troubleshooter's Necklace
Cloak   : Phiarlan Mirror Cloak
Bracers : Spearbane
Gloves  : Reflex Save +4
Belt    : Strength +2
Boots   : Anger's Step (multiple)
Ring    : Feather Falling
Ring    : Deadly II
Trinket : Crude Bauble
Armor   : Leather of Axeblock II

Trash   : +1 Screaming Greatsword
Ooze    : Maul of Everbright
Undead  : Maul of Undead Bane

Swaps & Consumables

Potions: Cure Serious, Haste, Jump, Curse, Blindness, Poison, Lesser Restoration
Buffs  : Heroism (pot), Expeditious Retreat (boots), Owl's Wisdom (pot), Cat's Grace (pot)

This is a THF melee build with cleave, mostly using a +1 Screaming Greatsword but switching to mauls for ooze and undead. Rogue 2 for evasion, barbarian 1 for +10% run speed and proficiency with martial weapons.

The equipped gear covers all skills: +3 Search, Disable, Open Lock, and +5 Spot, Hide and Move Silently, meaning no gear swaps are needed. We even get +3 Jump from Anger's Step, which is always nice. All you need to do is keep a stack of pots for buffing and you should be good to go for general questing.

"Shrine buffs" include Anger's Step clickies, so farm a few pairs, plus three potions: Heroism, Owl's Wisdom and Cat's Grace.

Optional gear upgrades include a cove hat (False Life of Spot +5) and Stonedust Leather (Light Fortification). If you upgrade both of those, Crude Bauble becomes redundant. (+5 HP & light fort.) Neecha's Bead (+2 fort save) is probably the most useful trinket to replace it with. I personally may upgrade to a cove hat but not the armor or trinket, as I find Stonedust Leather kind of ugly.

Hide and Move Silently will both be at 21 with pots and ship buffs. The required range appears to be somewhere between 18-20. Here's video of this build running Stealthy Repossession with no gongs and no kills:

[EllisDee37]

Design Goals:

• General
  • Disable Device 30+ (yes)
  • DDoor (no)
• Tomb of the Shadow King
  • Wall of Fire (no)
• Partycrashers
  • Range DPS for marks (yes)
  • True Seeing for mark in trapped hall (yes)
  • Paladin level(s) to identify the Tiefling bosses (yes)
  • Diplomacy ? (?) <== wiki says 8, but initial testing shows much higher is needed
  • Bluff 16 (yes)
  • Intimidate 14 (yes)
• Xorian Cipher
  • Intelligence 24 (yes)
  • Wisdom 22 (no)
  • Charisma 20 (no)
  • Pet (no)

Dualbox Opener (Level 7)
6/1 Rogue/Paladin
Lawful Good Human


Level Order

1. Rogue           6. Rogue
2. Paladin         7. Rogue
3. Rogue
4. Rogue
5. Rogue


Stats
               28pt     32pt     Level Up
               ----     ----     --------
Strength        10       12       4: INT
Dexterity       14       14
Constitution    12       14
Intelligence    18       18
Wisdom           8        8
Charisma         8        8


Skills
          R  P  R  R  R  R  R
          1  2  3  4  5  6  7
         ---------------------
Disable   4     2  1  1  1  1  10
Open Lo   4     1  2  1  1  1  10
Search    4     2  1  1  1  1  10
Spot      4     2  1  1  1  1  10
Bluff     4     1  1  2  1  1  10
Diplo     4  1  1  1  1  1  1  10
Intim     4  1  1  1  1  1  1  10
Jump      4     1  2  1  1  1  10
Swim      4           2  3  1  10
UMD       4     1  2  1  1  1  10
Concent      5  ½  ½  ½  ½  1   8
Balance   4                 1   5
Tumble    4                     4
Haggle    4                     4
         ---------------------
         52  7 13 13 13 13 13


Feats

 1        : Insightful Reflexes
 1 Human  : Point Blank Shot
 2 Deity  : Follower of: Sovereign Host
 3        : Rapid Reload
 6        : Rapid Shot


Enhancements (28 of 28 AP)

Mechanic (18 AP)
Arbalester, Tanglefoot, Targeting Sights
Sharpshooter, Mechanics III, Awareness III
Sharpshooter
Wracking Shot III, Dexterity
Human (6 AP)
Saves Boost, Constitution, Damage Boost
Improved Recovery
Thief-Acrobat (3 AP)
Staff Control
Fast Movement
Knight of the Chalice (1 AP)
Slayer of Evil

Gear

Helmet  : Cove Hat: Greater False Life of Spot +10
Goggles : ML7 Intelligence 5 Goggles of Deadly 4 
Necklace: ML7 Spell Saves 4 Necklace of Search 9 (Feather Falling)
Cloak   : Mantle of the Worldshaper
Bracers : Bracers of Wind (PRR +4)
Gloves  : ML7 Dexterity 5 Gloves of Resistance 4 (Strength +2)
Belt    : Spare Hand (Moderate Fortification)
Boots   : Boots of the Mire
Ring    : Ring of the Mire
Ring    : ML7 Constitution 5 Ring of Swim 9 (Water Breathing)
Trinket : Voice of the Master
Armor   : Leather of Hammerblock III

Weapon  : ML7 Good Effect 2d6 Repeating Light Crossbow of Bludgeon Effect 2d6 (Ruby of Ghostbane)
Ammo    : +3 Returning Bolts (150 House Deneith Favor)

Swaps & Consumables

Diplomacy +9 Ring of Bluff +9
Bracers of Intimidate +9
Potions: Cure Serious, Heroism, Haste, Jump, Curse, Blindness, Poison, Lesser Restoration
Visor of the Flesh Renderx3

This is a Light Repeating Crossbow mechanic build using House Deneith returning bolts for the +3, allowing us to skip fletching. The AP saved get spent on fast movement (+6%) which combines with the Mire set for 30% total run speed. Not great, but not terrible.

We get True Seeing from the Voice/Mantle set bonus, but note that you must turn Post Processing on in order to properly reveal the mark in the trapped hall with True Seeing.

The equipped gear covers all trapping skills: Spot from the Cove hat, Search from the crafted necklace, and Disable + Open Lock from Spare Hand. We even have water breathing and Swim +9 in the regular gearset to take the edge off that Necro2 underwater quest. The only skill swaps needed are for the social skills checks in Partycrashers.

If you don't have a ruby of ghostbane, you can craft two different weapons: One for trash and one for undead. If you go this route, you still might want good as the prefix on the trash beater for Chronoscope. For the undead beater, you're limited to ghost touch of undead bane and will want to stock up on holy bolts for ghostly skeletons in Delera's.

Until cove rolls around, craft a Spot +9 hat and just go without false life.

Note: My level 7 opener on live has just barely over 1800 favor. I took a +2 int tome with the 1750 favor reward.

[EllisDee37]

Design Goals:

• General
  • Disable Device 45+ (yes)
  • Open Lock 30+ (yes)
  • Spot 33 (yes)
  • Reflex Save vs Traps 34 (yes)
  • Evasion (yes)
  • Dimension Door (yes)
  • Teleport (yes)
• VON5
  • Strength 25 (yes, via pet)
  • Wisdom 20 (yes)
  • Pet with either strength or wisdom to allow soloing a side (yes)
  • Fire Shield (yes)
• VON4
  • Pet to leave at first gate (yes)
• Tempest Spine
  • Freedom of Movement (no)
• Invaders!
  • Immunity to level drain (yes)
• Desert Caravan
  • Fascinate (no)
• Tomb of the Tormented (yes)

Dual-box Opener (Level 11)
9/2 Wizard/Rogue
True Neutral Human


Level Order

1. Rogue           6. Wizard         11. Rogue
2. Wizard          7. Wizard
3. Wizard          8. Wizard
4. Wizard          9. Wizard
5. Wizard         10. Wizard


Stats
               28pt     32pt     Level Up
               ----     ----     --------
Strength        10       14       4: INT
Dexterity        8        8       8: INT
Constitution    14       14
Intelligence    18       18
Wisdom          12       12
Charisma         8        8


Skills
          R  W  W  W  W  W  W  W  W  W  R
          1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 10 11
         ---------------------------------
Disable   4     1     1     1     1  1  5  14
Search    4  1     1     1     1        6  14
Spot      4  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  14
Concent   2  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  2  2     13
Spellcr   2  1  1  1  1  1  1  2  2  1     13
Heal      2  ½  ½  ½  ½  ½  ½  ½     ½      6
Open Lo   4                             2   6
Bluff     4                                 4
Balance   4                                 4
Jump      4                                 4
Haggle    4                                 4
UMD       4                                 4
Swim      3                                 3
Tumble    1                                 1
         ---------------------------------
         52  7  7  7  7  7  7  8  8  8 14


Feats

 1        : Insightful Reflexes
 1 Human  : Toughness
 2 Wizard : Maximize Spell
 3        : Mental Toughness
 6        : Extend Spell
 6 Wizard : Heighten Spell
 9        : Improved Mental Toughness


Spells

Nightshield, Expeditious Retreat, Jump, Merfolk's Blessing, <Any>
Scorching Ray, Knock, Resist Energy, Invisibility, <Any>
Frost Lance, Fireball, Haste, Displacement
Wall of Fire, Death Aura, Dimension Door
Ball Lightning, Protection from Elements

Enhancements (44 of 44 AP)

Archmage (24 AP)
Grease, Web
Energy of the Scholar III, Spell Critical
Efficient Maximize III, Spell Critical
Intelligence
School Mastery: Conjuration, Intelligence
Pale Master (12 AP)
Dark Reaping, Zombie Form
Deathless Vigor III, Skeletal Knight I, Negative Energy Conduit II
Mechanic (7 AP)
Arbalester
Mechanics III, Awareness III
Human (1 AP)
Saves Boost

Gear

Helmet  : Cove Hat: Superior False Life of Spot +13
Goggles : Resistance +6
Necklace: Wizardry VI
Cloak   : ML11 Cloak of Flames (Tier 2)
Bracers : ML11 Bracers of Wind (Tier 2)
Gloves  : Concentration +13
Belt    : Health +6
Boots   : Feather Falling of Heal +10 (Vitality +20)
Ring    : Clever +6
Ring    : Glaciation +60
Trinket : Efficient Maximize II of Ice Lore III
Armor   : Lesser Undead Guard robe of Axeblock III

Casting
Main: +3 Nullification +60 of Void Lore III
Off : Conjuration Focus II of Parrying I

Blocking
Main: ???
Off : +5 Magecraft Shield

Swaps & Consumables

Rings: Search +13, Disable +13, Open Lock +13, Wisdom +6
Scrolls: Greater Heroism, True Seeing, Fire Shield

This is a zombie form pale trapper with gear to support fire, ice, electricity and negative energy. It has DR 5/- thanks to combining zombie form with Axeblock III on the armor.

Standard tactics are to gather up a large group of enemies, lay down a web (SLA) and firewall, then quickly switch to the blocking weaponset and shield block while everything cooks. Be sure to have displacement and death aura running before you do this! Casting will be virtually impossible while the shield is equipped, so just keep blocking. For smaller groups, and for beholders, use the ray spells Scorching Ray and Frost Lance. For large groups of weaker mobs just blast them with fireball and/or ball lightning.

All trapping gear must be swapped: Search, Disable, Open Lock. Ring is a nice spot for this, as the glaciation ring doesn't do anything for you while trapping. Also get a Wisdom +6 swap (ring is a nice spot for it) so that you can reach 20 wisdom for the lever in VON5.

The craftable trinket is the only exotic item for any of the builds, which will cost 150 TP in the store. Efficient Maximize II is just too good to pass up, combining with enhancements to bring Maximize down to 12 spell points. Plus it offers another place to craft lore. Mix and match cold and negative among the trinket, ring and lootgen weapon based on what you can find on the auction house.

I briefly considered going crazy with gear, but quickly decided to keep it simple. If you have grim determination and a mountain of raid bypasses, consider grinding ADQ until your eyes bleed for a torc, which is a natural swap for the Wizardry VI necklace. (Wait until you spend 150 mana before swapping in torc, of course.) Bracers of Demon Consort are also very good, but that would require moving your electric power elsewhere. In that case, I'd probably switch the lootgen club for a threnalian war dagger, slotting nullification and magnetism in the augments and then switching the trinket to void lore.

The cloak of flames and bracers of wind are farmable on the level 15 mechanic, or really any disposable iconic set up for challenges. Use the free 12 slots of the shared crafting storage to pass the ingredients to the level 11 before making the items.

Until cove rolls around, craft a spot +13 hat and pick up some false life +30 gloves from the auction house. (I checked; that's a common effect for gloves.) If you notice a lot of failed concentration checks, swap the boots from Heal to Concentration.

[EllisDee37]

Design Goals:

• General
  
  • UMD 39 (yes)
  • Teleport (yes)
  • DDoor (yes)
• Crucible
  
  • 38 reflex save vs traps (yes)
  • Evasion? Improved? (yes to both)
  • 49 Diplomacy after d20 roll (yes: 43+roll with +13 swap item)
  • 41 Bluff after d20 roll (yes: 43 with +13 swap item)
  • 12-33 Intimidate after d20 roll (yes: 30 without any item)
  • High swim (yes)
  • High run speed for Test of Agility (yes: +53% run speed inside quests)
  • Able to solo gnolls after swim? (yes)
• Ghosts of Perdition
  
  • High range dps (yes)
  • Immunity to level drain (no)

Dual-box Opener (Level 15)
13/1/1 Rogue/Barbarian/Fighter
True Neutral Human


Level Order

1. Rogue           6. Rogue          11. Rogue
2. Rogue           7. Rogue          12. Rogue
3. Barbarian       8. Rogue          13. Rogue
4. Rogue           9. Rogue          14. Rogue
5. Rogue          10. Fighter        15. Rogue


Stats
               32pt     Tome     Level Up
               ----     ----     --------
Strength         9                4: INT
Dexterity       13                8: INT
Constitution    14               12: INT
Intelligence    18
Wisdom           8
Charisma        12       +2


Skills
          R  R  B  R  R  R  R  R  R  F  R  R  R  R  R
          1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 10 11 12 13 14 15
         ---------------------------------------------
Disable   4  1     2  1  1  1  1  1     2  1  1  1  1  18
Open Lo   4  1     2  1  1  1  1  1     2  1  1  1  1  18
Search    4  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  18
Spot      4  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  18
Bluff     4  1     1  1  1  1  1  1     1  2  2  1  1  18
Diplo     4  1        1  1  1  2  2     1  2  1  1  1  18
Intim     4  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  18
Jump      4  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  18
Swim      3  1  2     1  1  1  1  1  1  1  2  1  1  1  18
Haggle    4  1     1  1  1  1  1  1           1  3  3  18
UMD       4  1     2  1  1  1  1  1     2  1  1  1  1  18
Balance   4  1        1  1  1  1  1           1        11
Concent   2  ½  ½  ½  ½  ½  ½  ½  ½  ½  ½  ½  ½  ½  ½   9
Tumble    1                                             1
         ---------------------------------------------
         52 13  9 13 13 13 13 14 14  8 14 14 14 14 14


Feats

 1        : Insightful Reflexes
 1 Human  : Least Dragonmark: Passage
 3        : Rapid Reload
 6        : Point Blank Shot
 9        : Rapid Shot
10 Fighter: Improved Critical: Ranged
12        : Precision
12 Rogue  : Improved Evasion
15        : Skill Focus: Use Magic Device
15 Rogue  : Opportunist


Enhancements (60 of 60 AP)

Mechanic (42 AP)
Arbalester, Tanglefoot, Targeting Sights, Improved Detection
Sharpshooter, Lacerating Shots III, Mechanics III, Awareness III
Sharpshooter, Wand and Scroll Mastery II
Sharpshooter, Use Magical Device III, Intelligence
Sharpshooter, Fletching III, Intelligence
Sharpshooter, Rapid Fire III, Sniper, Mechanical Reloader
Human (15 AP)
Saves Boost, Constitution, Skills Boost
Dragonmark Focus: Orien I, Skill Focus: Awareness I, Improved Recovery
Lesser Dragonmark: Dimension Door, Skill Focus: Nimble Fingers I
Skill Mastery, Improved Recovery
Thief-Acrobat (3 AP)
Staff Control
Fast Movement

Gear

Head   : Cove Hat: Superior False Life of Swim +15
Eyes   : ML15 Intelligence 8 Goggles of True Seeing w/Ins. Intelligence 3 (Water Breathing)
Neck   : ML15 Spell Saves 6 Necklace of Charisma 8 w/Ins. PRR 9 (Deathblock)
Back   : Cloak of Invisibility (Heavy Fort)
Wrist  : Bracers of Wind (Bluff +7)
Hand   : ML15 Strength 8 Gloves of Deadly 6 w/Ins. Accuracy 5 (Fear Immunity)
Waist  : Spare Hand (Resistance +4)
Feet   : Surefooted Boots (Vitality)
Ring   : ML15 Diplomacy 16 Ring of Dexterity 8 w/Ins. Dexterity 3 (Blindness Immunity)
Ring   : ML15 Constitution 8 Ring of Sheltering 19 w/Ins. Constitution 3 (Feather Falling) 
Trinket: Eagle's Eye (Good Luck +1, Wisdom +4)
Body   : Black Dragonhide

Weapon : Divine Artillery (Improved Acid or Vampire Slayer) w/Force Critical ritual
Ammo   : Acid / Silver / Cold Iron / Byeshk / Adamantine
Quiver : Dynamistic Quiver

Swaps & Consumables

Diplomacy +16 Ring of Bluff +16
Visor of the Flesh Renderx3 or 4
Scrolls: Greater Heroism, Heal, Teleport, Fire Shield, Raise Dead, Greater Teleport(?)
Potions: Cure Serious, Haste, Poison, Curse, Disease, Lesser Restoration, Jump
Wands: Fireball, Ice Storm

This is a Great Crossbow mechanic build with fletching, which frees us up to use any kind of ammo we want. I mostly just use crafted +1 Acid Bolts. (5 essences and 144 yellow dragonshards for a stack of 100.)

Ammo to consider:
- Acid for general use
- Silver for Temple of Vol (unless you use Vampire Slayer augment, in which case Acid)
- Cold Iron for Ghosts of Perdition (Acid for end fight)
- Adamantine for Fleshmaker's Laboratory
- Byeshk for Harbinger of Madness

The idea here is that Divine Artillery works for everything. Math says it does more damage vs undead than a crafted +4 Acid Burst of Undead Bane, so it's pretty clear that it's a one-size-fits-all weapon. Given that, it makes sense to add a force ritual to it with the stone of change. While Force Damage is slightly better, Force Critical is almost as good for a 15-20x2 weapon and it's much cheaper. (Deadly Feverblanch instead of Fragrant Drowshood.)

The +2 Charisma tome is from 1750 favor, which gets us to 39 UMD exactly while greater heroism (scroll) is active. (Use human skill boost for no-fail GH scrolls.)

[EllisDee37]

Design Goals:

• Challenges
  • Run very fast (yes)
  • Sprint Boost (yes)
  • Dimension Door (yes)
  • CC for Sunset Ritual (yes)
  • Pet to leave at center to defend incomings (no)
• Epic Dailies
  • Trap skills (yes)
  • Reach 80 Open Lock (yes)

Dual-box Opener (Level 21)
16/2/2 Bard/Barbarian/Rogue, Epic 1
Human


Level Order

1. Bard            6. Bard           11. Bard           16. Bard
2. Rogue           7. Bard           12. Bard           17. Bard
3. Barbarian       8. Bard           13. Bard           18. Bard
4. Barbarian       9. Bard           14. Bard           19. Bard
5. Rogue          10. Bard           15. Bard           20. Bard


Stats
               32pt     Level Up
               ----     --------
Strength        16       4: STR
Dexterity       14       8: STR
Constitution    14      12: STR
Intelligence    14      16: STR
Wisdom           8      20: STR
Charisma        12


Skills
         Bd Rg Bn Bn Rg Bd Bd Bd Bd Bd Bd Bd Bd Bd Bd Bd Bd Bd Bd Bd
          1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
         ------------------------------------------------------------
Perform   4     ½  ½  1  3  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  23
Disable      4  1  1  2  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  23
Search    2  3  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  23
UMD       4           4  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  23
Open Lo      4  1  1  1        1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  20
Concent   4              1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  19
Balance   4           1     2                                          7
Jump      4                                                            4
Haggle    4                                                            4
Swim      3                                                            3
Heal      2                                                            2
Tumble    1                                                            1
         ------------------------------------------------------------
         36 11  7  7 11  9  9  9  9  9  9  9  9  9  9  9  9  9  9  9


Feats

 1        : Single Weapon Fighting
 1 Human  : Extend Spell
 3        : Precision
 6        : Exotic Weapon: Kama
 9        : Improved Single Weapon Fighting
12        : Improved Critical: Slashing
15        : Shield Mastery
18        : Greater Single Weapon Fighting
21 Epic   : Improved Shield Mastery


Spells

Bard
Expeditious Retreat, Detect Secret Doors, Sonic Blast, Merfolk's Blessing, Focusing Chant
Blur, Cure Moderate Wounds, Invisibility, Rage
Displacement, Haste, Cure Serious Wounds, Good Hope
Dimension Door, Freedom of Movement, Cure Critical Wounds, Shout
Greater Heroism, Mass Cure Light Wounds, Greater Dispel Magic, <Any>
Greater Shout, <Any>

Enhancements (80 AP)

Swashbuckler (37 AP)
Confidence, Swashbuckling, Uncanny Dodge, Panache
On Your Toes I, Tavern Shanties III
Fast Movement, Double Strike Boost III
Skirmisher, Resonant Arms III
On the Mark III, Low Blow
Thread the Needle, Second Skin I, Exploit Weakness, Coup de Grace: Melee
Warchanter (25 AP)
Skaldic: Rage, Weapon Training, Song of Heroism, Fighting Spirit
Poetic Edda III, Rough and Ready III
Iced Edges III, Sprint Boost III
High Spirits III, Frozen Fury III
Reckless Chant III
Frenzied Berserker (8 AP)
Die Hard
Extra Rage I, Athletics III
Extra Action Boost III
Spellsinger (7 AP)
Spellsinger
Studies: Magical III, Lingering Songs III
Human (3 AP)
Skills Boost
Improved Recovery

Destiny (24 AP)

Fatesinger
Allure III, Strength
Lucidity II, Strength
Aria III, Strength
Echoes of Martial, Strength
Fragment of Clarity II, Fragment of Valor II
Turn of the Tide
Twists of Fate (14 fate points)
Grim Precision (Tier 3 Shadowdancer)
Legendary Shield Mastery (Tier 2 Sentinel)
Extra Action Boost (Tier 1 Dreadnought)

The primary purpose of this alt is to be another chest pull when token farming in Devil Assault. Since she'll be an epic alt anyway, it makes sense to make her an epic challenge farmer. I was looking for some variety to avoid duplicating my main account's epic challenge farmer Pale Master, so I decided to go with a swashbuckler. This also means I don't need to invest in a swashbuckler as a main, since I'll have this one to scratch that itch.

The original thread for this build is here.

[Grailhawk]

... but no shared bank hurts quite a bit as well since that puts the cannith challenge gear out of reach for most options. (Anything good requires mats from an ML14+ to enter challenge. You can't even exchange them, since the exchange mats have the same restriction.).

I remember being able to mail BtA stuff to toons on the same amount befor the shared bank.

I could be wrong and thinking of another game but I remember that.

[EllisDee37]

Ideas and suggestions welcome. Also, point out any quests that have special needs I haven't mentioned, where a dual-box opener built to handle it would really help.

[EllisDee37]

I remember being able to mail BtA stuff to toons on the same amount befor the shared bank.

I could be wrong and thinking of another game but I remember that.

Pretty sure you can't, testing in-game now...

You can drag BTA items into the mail slot, but then trying to actually send it to another alt on your account throws an error.

[Feithlin]

Ideally this opener could run Stealthy Repossession all by itself, as it was intended. Dex rogue build with max stealth skills, probably single-wielding a kukri.

I can't think of any problematic quests in the 1-4 level range that call for a specialized build other than Stealthy Repossession, so this appears to be an easy choice.

Bard 3 swashbuckler with keen rapier is pretty strong.

[Livmo]

You are on the right track. I have multiple accounts and I start with the Black Friday/Cyber Monday Sale(s). Keep in mind those packs come with TPs, which I then spend on more packs! In short, not counting Trials and Gambit, I get all the content for $47. A drop in the bucket. I would rather spend that on DDO than at the bar.

Even better, get multiple codes on those sales and use them in guild raffles. I did. I raffled a Shadowfell, 4 Starter Packs, and 2 Half-Orc packs last Christmas. I copy and pasted the codes from the receipt to the winners. I made sure the new players were in on the starter packs. They all loved the permanaet L3 hire since they were lowbies then. And they are all still playing!!! 4 Starter Packs was $10. Supports Turbine and got some new players to stay with the game. A win-win IMO.

I quad-box sometimes. 2 accounts on my desktop and 2 on my laptop (alt-tab). Realistically I can only play 2 toons at once desktop/laptop. No joke either. I can't do it in all quests, but there are some that folks don't know I'm 2 different toons in the same quest ( I don't pike). However, you'll find in allot of quests you'll suck at using both toons at the same time and it's better to just to PUG and play one toon at a time.

For openers I like to start with Iconics since I have all my lowbie openers set up already on my home server (levels 4, 8, 10, 12). I have lots of L15/16s and a nice clutch of L18s. I don't need any openers for epics. I'm Premium and have never been VIP.

I see my entertainment dollars differently it seems. I can spend $50 at the bar or I can spend $50 on the game I love to play. I still have DDO the next day. Yeah, I do like hanging out with allot of you in-game more than I like going to the bar or to a game. Seen the world and been there and done that. Much rather geek in my free time on DDO.

My L15/16s and L18s are mostly PDKs and Shadar-Kais with a few Bladeforged and Sun Elfs. Pure and mixtos (mutilclass). Aside from these I have a few challenge farmers and toons built for some rather specific quests/farming.

[Feithlin]

The one should have max social skills and at least one paladin level so that it can handle the optionals at the end of Partycrashers. Also, should be ranged for that trapped hallway with all the marks in Partycrashers.

It would be nice if it had firewall for the necro2 quest where you run around the inner and outer rings putting out torches, but that requires a minimum of 7 wizard levels, meaning it couldn't be a trapper. Another option for that quest would be a turn-specced cleric, but it's very hard to make a viable cleric trapper.

It would also be nice if it had a pet for Xorian Cipher, and even nicer if it (and its pet) could handle some or all of the runes in Xorian Cipher.

It's a bit hard to cover it all with a single underlevel character.
I would go with Wizard 7 because Necro 2 can be a pain without firewall, and shadow crypt opener is a must have if you plan using dual box.

For partycrasher, you could use a crafter construct bane thrower.

[Feithlin]

This is the level range with the most possibilities, and not all goals can be met with a single build:

- Bard with fascinate makes soloing Desert Caravan a breeze.
- There are a million and one beholders in this level range. (VON3, Invaders!, Restless Isles)
- Very high reflex saves with evasion for VON5
- VON5 has stat checks of 25 str and 20 wis, plus a lever puller with str 25 or wis 20 would be super

Note that level 11 means no tier 5 enhancements, which takes a sealed soul paladin off the table. With no robots, that leaves pale masters as the only option immune to level drain, but a pure caster against beholders isn't ideal either. It works, it just isn't ideal. On the plus side, a wizard could summon a skeletal pet to pull one of the strength levers in VON5, but the wizard itself wouldn't qualify for either the strength lever or wisdom rune.

I would go with Wizard 9 / Rogue 2. Don´t dump Str and switch to melee when fighting bh.

[EllisDee37]

Bard 3 swashbuckler with keen rapier is pretty strong.

Agreed, but everything is strong in terms of killing stuff at level 3. Not everything can stealth, though, including a swashbuckler.

It's easy enough to just grab 7 invis pots and invisi-run stealthy repossession, but I think it would be kind of fun to have an actual stealth alt to run it with each life.

[EllisDee37]

It's a bit hard to cover it all with a single underlevel character.
I would go with Wizard 7 because Necro 2 can be a pain without firewall, and shadow crypt opener is a must have if you plan using dual box.

I'd rather have a trapper, especially since this level range will be opening Xorian Cipher.

The necro2 snuff the torches quest is kind of a pain, but I just facerolled it this life with a S&B paladin so I don't view it as much of a need for help. Partycrashers, by contrast, can be super annoying on a wide range of builds. I definitely dread that more than necro2.

For partycrasher, you could use a crafter construct bane thrower.

The problem there is that it takes forever to thrower down the marks on an non-thrower build, making that trapped hall (with the undisable-able illusory spikes) a major PITA.

[Feithlin]

Agreed, but everything is strong in terms of killing stuff at level 3. Not everything can stealth, though, including a swashbuckler.

It's easy enough to just grab 7 invis pots and invisi-run stealthy repossession, but I think it would be kind of fun to have an actual stealth alt to run it with each life.

The good part of bard is that they also have stealth skills and you can use invis scrolls to make it cheaper.
Stealthy repossession with fascinate is fun.

[Feithlin]

First concern is crucible: Hit the social skill requirements for the early opts, reach 38 reflex save vs traps at a minimum, high swim, very fast movement, and evasion required. (Improved evasion would be ideal.)

Second concern is, can this alt help you solo necro4?

Ranger 12 / Paladin 2 / Rogue 1 seems a good option.

[Livmo]

I would go with Wizard 9 / Rogue 2. Don´t dump Str and switch to melee when fighting bh.

I have a toon parked at L18. Shadar-Kai with 2 rouge levels and the rest wizzy. One of my favs to play.

Also, I do have one of each Sorc/savants at L18 as well. They are all Bladeforgerd instead of Shadar tho. Still think the Shadar wizzy is more fun to play.

[EllisDee37]

The good part of bard is that they also have stealth skills and you can use invis scrolls to make it cheaper.
Stealthy repossession with fascinate is fun.

Hmmm, that doesn't sound bad. Let me look into that.

[Livmo]

I'd rather have a trapper, especially since this level range will be opening Xorian Cipher.

The necro2 snuff the torches quest is kind of a pain, but I just facerolled it this life with a S&B paladin so I don't view it as much of a need for help. Partycrashers, by contrast, can be super annoying on a wide range of builds. I definitely dread that more than necro2.

The problem there is that it takes forever to thrower down the marks on an non-thrower build, making that trapped hall (with the undisable-able illusory spikes) a major PITA.

On my non-arties I use Wand of Fireball and a Wand of Ice Storm (might be sleet storm). Wand of Blasting if fun too. Use Fireball wand or Blasting on the optional crystal in Mired in Kobolds.