Cetus: Supreme Bladeforged Fighter Reborn

[Cetus]

Cetus: Completionist Bladeforged 18 Fighter/2 Monk

This is an updated version of the old build found here: https://www.ddo.com/forums/showthrea...forged-Fighter

Notes before we begin:

1. This build is designed for advanced players who are comfortable with Legendary Elite content. This is not to say that others cannot derive value from this thread.
2. I am not claiming to have invented or have been the first to play this character split. I am merely showcasing the product of my build decisions. Critiques are always welcome, as this is a constant work in progress.
3. This is not a finished product. I am considering the idea of working in TWF as well, but that will be edited into the build once I have played the build for a bit

Class Progression: Remember, since this is a Bladeforged, it will require a Lesser Heart of Wood to remove the required paladin level. Monk levels 1 and 2 each offer a class feat, I acquired those two levels first to obtain THF and PA.

Starting Stats: Strength: 18, Dexterity: 6, Constitution: 18, Intelligence: 16, Wisdom: 6, Charisma: 8

Feats

18 Fighter = 10 Feats | 2 Monk = 2 Feats | Level 30 Character = 7 Heroic Feats + 4 Epic feats =

10 + 2 + 11 = 23 Feat Decisions

Add 3 Destiny feats and 1 Legendary Feat = 27 total feat decisions.

1. Two Handed Fighting (Level 1 Monk)
2. Power Attack (Level 2 Monk)
3. Adept of forms
4. Improved Two Handed Fighting
5. Greater Two Handed Fighting
6. Weapon Focus: Slashing
7. Greater Weapon Focus: Slashing
8. Superior Weapon Focus: Slashing
9. Stunning Blow
10. Cleave
11. Great Cleave
12. Completionist
13. Master of forms
14. Weapon Specialization: Slashing
15. Improved Critical: Slashing
16. Greater Weapon Specialization: Slashing
17. Weapon Focus: Bludgeoning (+2 Melee Power)
18. Overwhelming Critical
19. Tactical Master (+6)
20. Tactical Supremacy (+8)
21. Greater Weapon Focus: Bludgeoning (+2 Melee Power)
22. Weapon Specialization: Bludgeoning (+2 Melee Power)
23. Epic Feat #1: Perfect Two handed fighting
24. Epic Feat #2: Perfect Two Weapon Fighting - 5% doublestrike for main hand weapon
25. Epic Feat #3: Dire Charge
26. Insightful Reflexes
27. Legendary Feat: Scion of Arborea

Skills: All levelup skills into UMD, Repair, Search, Balance. Take perform out of N/A for the occasional skill check.

Twists:

This assumes near-maximum fate points and all twist slots:

Sense Weakness
Grim Precision
Hail of Blows
Dance of flowers
Primal Scream

Enhancements:


Main Destiny Points:

This is for the falchion version. For the greataxe version, acquire headman's chop and anvil of thunder. That will be displayed later.


GEARSET:



Few metagame tricks:

1. Upon zoning into quest, wear Verik's necklace, then swap to the Legendary Pendant of Warrior's Focus.
2. Make sure you use Earth Stance
3. Primal Scream will work when you are not in defender stance
4. Gear swap to Legendary Construct's Mantle between reconstructs for the extra repair amplification.
5. Use Power Surge first prior to using KTA, as you gain extra intelligence there.
6. Make sure to use opportunity attack before your special attacks.

Tactics DC's:

To Be Completed

Saves and Buffed Stats:

To Be Completed

Videos:

Kobold DPS test:



LE Shroud Portal DPS with U32 Gear:



Falchion DPS Demonstration in solo Legendary Elite Tempest Spine Loot Run:



Greataxe DPS Demonstration in Two man Legendary Elite Tempest Spine Loot Run:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zA0zr6OsOo

[Cetus]

Reserved

[vyvy3369]

You should probably swap out Heavy Armor Champion since you're not using heavy armor.

[maddong]

Falchion > riftmaker?

[Cetus]

You should probably swap out Heavy Armor Champion since you're not using heavy armor.

Whoops! Thanks, that's supposed to be GWF: Bludgeoning for more MP.

Falchion > riftmaker?

Well it depends on what you find more enjoyable. I personally loved the bigger numbers of the riftmaker (24k on beholder at the end of the video), but I think the falchion makes for a stronger build as you can incorporate reconstruct into an augment slot and you have good DR breaking potential.

[SeveredSteel]

I personally loved the bigger numbers of the riftmaker (24k on beholder at the end of the video), but I think the falchion makes for a stronger build as you can incorporate reconstruct into an augment slot and you have good DR breaking potential.

You're movement is sick. Nice display of skill. You had one slip around 7:30 when you fell into lava trying to jump backwards on the small strip of rock. And you didn't heal after that, then encountering the giant with around 500~ hp. The giant whiffed on displace, but you were low and it could have ended the run there. Otherwise, great show of melee.

About the thf/twf. You could increase boss times by twf and taking sneak of shadows with points into hide. But, imo, you should stay with riftmaker. You're right that it is a stronger build with falchion. Witht he riftmaker run it seemed like you had to twitch fight less. Probably because fishing for big crits is better vs trash and their hp threshold. Charge->Cleaves->20k crits aoe. Like a tree ;p

[Cetus]

You're movement is sick. Nice display of skill. You had one slip around 7:30 when you fell into lava trying to jump backwards on the small strip of rock. And you didn't heal after that, then encountering the giant with around 500~ hp. The giant whiffed on displace, but you were low and it could have ended the run there. Otherwise, great show of melee.

Haha yea, I had that oh SH*T moment when the lava screwed up my heal. Running that quest on LE as aggressively as that, rounding up mobs til green alert is extremely risky.

About the thf/twf. You could increase boss times by twf and taking sneak of shadows with points into hide. But, imo, you should stay with riftmaker. You're right that it is a stronger build with falchion. Witht he riftmaker run it seemed like you had to twitch fight less. Probably because fishing for big crits is better vs trash and their hp threshold. Charge->Cleaves->20k crits aoe. Like a tree ;p

Well, I feel pretty strong with the falchion as well. I beatdown a few DPS kobolds on lamannia and falchion was winning by a few seconds over greataxe, I must have done about 20 beatdowns with each, that crippling flame damage/vulnerability adds up.

I still can't say much about TWF yet, I haven't tried it yet.

[maddong]

Can anyone calculate the red named dps of falchion vs riftmaker? Just curious!

[the_one_dwarfforged]

have you compared a pure fighter build to this build in single target dps? i sorta feel like 15% dstrike wins out over the crit mods monk gives you by a lot. though, you do have some extra mp and sneak dmg from enhancements as well (i probably would not invest the same amount of feats into mp (quickdraw/improved sunder)).

what roughly is the prr you are running around with? looking at your first video you have more hp than i do (although i dont have lgs hp set, because i would have to play the game to get it, and over 2/3 of posted lshroud groups are boring) and you have to hop around a LOT, which isnt necessarily a bad thing...but...imo it looks mostly like a lot of set up to aoe nuke trash instead of just killing it. seems like the prr difference between this and a pure is already very noticeable, but i could be wrong seeing as i have not even gone into le ts solo to farm because idc about loot, so i will have to do this to make a comparison.

why would you not use esos over a boss beater falc for legendary trash, especially since you are wearing knife boots and have the tasty extra crit mods from monk?

i know you say, to be completed, but i am very curious about your str/tac dcs. you do take +6 in feat over what i do, and im curious just how much more investment you put into this than i have, because your dcs seem a tad more reliable than mine (although its only one 8 min video i watched and charge has a higher dc obviously) and im wondering if maybe i underinvested in dcs just slightly enough that its worth changing something.

i dont really care what your actual saves are, but do you find yourself really noticing the evasion that much honestly? with a fairly high mrr i usually get nuked, go "oh my ****ing god" hit recon, and continue to kill things with reckless abandon. is the evasion really worth it? do you ever have issues where it fails in a noticeable situation? zuggtmuy? book?

when it comes to sorjek, how does this build handle it? do you have enough prr/hp to not get oneshot? how close is it? do you find that fight to be overly difficult compared to trash? and situations in general where you felt like you did not have an adequate amount of defense to make it not a hairpulling pita to stay alive and dps effectively compared to say a pure fighter if you have played one? im thinking le shroud lieutenants since you cant cc them. besides having a higher dodge cap, theres not really any increase in avoidance over a pure, correct? do you notice the dodge that you do have?


asking mainly because this take on fighter seems like a fun change of pace (the 20k crits on a sword build being so easy is nice for the amusement), but it does seem less well rounded than a pure fighter.


also, since the advent of custom cosmetics, centered kensei robot gotta roll with the blademark docent. i would.

[adrian69]

Can anyone calculate the red named dps of falchion vs riftmaker? Just curious!

Tier 3 TF Falchion

4.50 [2d4] + 12 18-20/x2 Base

4.50 [2d4] + 12 15-20/x2 Imp Crit

4.50 [2d4] + 34 14-20/x3 Add WS&GWS Feats/Weapon Specialization Line, Keen Edge, Strike w/ No Thought, Power Attack

5.00 [2d4] + 34 14-20/x4 In LD w/ Imp PA with no ABs running

5.00 [2d4] + 34 14-20/x5 Add Overwhelming Critical



Epic Riftmaker

5.00 [1d12] + 12 20/x4 Base

5.00 [1d12] + 12 19-20/x 4 Imp Crit

5.00 [1d12] + 34 17-20/x5 Add WS&GWS Feats/Weapon Specialization Line, Keen Edge, Strike w/ No Thought, Power Attack

5.50 [1d12] + 34 18-20/x7 In LD w/ Imp PA, Headman's, and Multiplier, with no ABs running

5.50 [1d12] + 34 18-30/x8 Add Overwhelming Critical



You need to add your own Dmg Mod*(1.5)

Add your seeker*multiplier

Add/Multiply in Melee Power into this for a final figure

Only consider rolls of 19-20 or remove LD Multipliers and OC for crit rolls of 18 or lower.

Didn't include +3 damage from Improved PA/Barbarian PA attainable through Warforged racial or a +1 barbarian splash

Add 1[w] dice for when in any action boost while in LD.

[Zer0AcmE]

Why not go TWF and reap the benefits of dual TF or LGS weapons? (Affirmation, Salt, Vacum, etc..)? Is it just for the higher DPS #'s from THF?

What are your PRR, Doublestrike and Dire Charge #'s?

I've done something similar with my fighter build (similar to your original splits) love the additional Str from Divine Might and Shadow Veil, I'm this close to solo'ing LE Tempest, keep getting blown off.
https://www.ddo.com/forums/showthrea...entered-Kensei

Love the builds/play style, keep it up.

[Cetus]

have you compared a pure fighter build to this build in single target dps? i sorta feel like 15% dstrike wins out over the crit mods monk gives you by a lot. though, you do have some extra mp and sneak dmg from enhancements as well (i probably would not invest the same amount of feats into mp (quickdraw/improved sunder)).

what roughly is the prr you are running around with? looking at your first video you have more hp than i do (although i dont have lgs hp set, because i would have to play the game to get it, and over 2/3 of posted lshroud groups are boring) and you have to hop around a LOT, which isnt necessarily a bad thing...but...imo it looks mostly like a lot of set up to aoe nuke trash instead of just killing it. seems like the prr difference between this and a pure is already very noticeable, but i could be wrong seeing as i have not even gone into le ts solo to farm because idc about loot, so i will have to do this to make a comparison.

why would you not use esos over a boss beater falc for legendary trash, especially since you are wearing knife boots and have the tasty extra crit mods from monk?

i know you say, to be completed, but i am very curious about your str/tac dcs. you do take +6 in feat over what i do, and im curious just how much more investment you put into this than i have, because your dcs seem a tad more reliable than mine (although its only one 8 min video i watched and charge has a higher dc obviously) and im wondering if maybe i underinvested in dcs just slightly enough that its worth changing something.

i dont really care what your actual saves are, but do you find yourself really noticing the evasion that much honestly? with a fairly high mrr i usually get nuked, go "oh my ****ing god" hit recon, and continue to kill things with reckless abandon. is the evasion really worth it? do you ever have issues where it fails in a noticeable situation? zuggtmuy? book?

when it comes to sorjek, how does this build handle it? do you have enough prr/hp to not get oneshot? how close is it? do you find that fight to be overly difficult compared to trash? and situations in general where you felt like you did not have an adequate amount of defense to make it not a hairpulling pita to stay alive and dps effectively compared to say a pure fighter if you have played one? im thinking le shroud lieutenants since you cant cc them. besides having a higher dodge cap, theres not really any increase in avoidance over a pure, correct? do you notice the dodge that you do have?


asking mainly because this take on fighter seems like a fun change of pace (the 20k crits on a sword build being so easy is nice for the amusement), but it does seem less well rounded than a pure fighter.


also, since the advent of custom cosmetics, centered kensei robot gotta roll with the blademark docent. i would.

All good questions, yes I have played a pure fighter extensively prior to deciding on the 18/2 split - they are very close in DPS and defenses, but I am firmly set on 18/2 as being the superior build. Here's why:

Pure fighter capstone: The main draw is 15% doublestrike. Outside of part 1 of shroud, I don't miss the 4 extra action boosts at all - and even in part 1 of shroud, draconic reinvigoration makes them last.

So, it's 15% doublestrike and +2 str/int (KTA) vs. +1 19/20 crit multiplier, 1.5W from dance of flowers, 2d6 sneak attack damage from ninja spy, +2 melee power (extra feat from 2 monk), fists of iron (+3 W, +1 threat, +1 multiplier every 3 seconds), adept + master strikes of the enduring (when worked in with fists of iron, can use the triple earth finisher for 2 multiplier as well).

As far as defenses go, yes the pure fighter can take advantage of the stalwart hitpoints and heavy armor PRR - however, my monk version has roughly 18% more dodge than I did on the pure fighter.

My PRR atm is about a 143 with blitz (however, this is tentative gear - I only have 38 sheltering atm, no insightful sheltering). A pure fighter would probably have at most 10% more mitigation from PRR, but I have about 18% more dodge.

The evasion is ABSOLUTELY noticeable. The red named casters and all the mephits casting their **** on me was essentially ignored. I'm running like a high 70's reflex save and it's awesome for this stuff.

Sorjek:

It's a mixed result with him, sometimes it goes smoother if I get lucky with dodge and footwork. About 30% of the time I can survive a hit from his sword - but I'm usually about 100-200 hitpoints away from making it when he one-shots me. That's just a simple hitpoints/PRR thing that I can account for with gear that I have not sorted out yet.

[moo_cow]

have you compared a pure fighter build to this build in single target dps? i sorta feel like 15% dstrike wins out over the crit mods monk gives you by a lot. though, you do have some extra mp and sneak dmg from enhancements as well (i probably would not invest the same amount of feats into mp (quickdraw/improved sunder)).

What about the +1.5[w]? That should help quite a bit.

Also why the Esos? Did something change to it recently? If not I don't really think it's in competition.

[Cetus]

What about the +1.5[w]? That should help quite a bit.

Also why the Esos? Did something change to it recently? If not I don't really think it's in competition.

The ESOS actually holds up very well given the recent IC changes. I did a kobold beatdown on lamannia about 20 times with it for comparison, I did not get beatdown times as good as falchion or greataxe, but it was surprisingly good.

For me, it seemed like 1)Falchion 2) Riftmaker 3)ESOS as far as the DPS ranking went for the DPS kobolds on lamannia. N=20 for each weapon.

[moo_cow]

The ESOS actually holds up very well given the recent IC changes. I did a kobold beatdown on lamannia about 20 times with it for comparison, I did not get beatdown times as good as falchion or greataxe, but it was surprisingly good.

For me, it seemed like 1)Falchion 2) Riftmaker 3)ESOS as far as the DPS ranking went for the DPS kobolds on lamannia. N=20 for each weapon.

Ah thank you. I've been gone a little long. What was the change?

[Stoner81]

Tier 3 TF Falchion

4.50 [2d4] + 12 18-20/x2 Base

4.50 [2d4] + 12 15-20/x2 Imp Crit

4.50 [2d4] + 34 14-20/x3 Add WS&GWS Feats/Weapon Specialization Line, Keen Edge, Strike w/ No Thought, Power Attack

5.00 [2d4] + 34 14-20/x4 In LD w/ Imp PA with no ABs running

5.00 [2d4] + 34 14-20/x5 Add Overwhelming Critical



Epic Riftmaker

5.00 [1d12] + 12 20/x4 Base

5.00 [1d12] + 12 19-20/x 4 Imp Crit

5.00 [1d12] + 34 17-20/x5 Add WS&GWS Feats/Weapon Specialization Line, Keen Edge, Strike w/ No Thought, Power Attack

5.50 [1d12] + 34 18-20/x7 In LD w/ Imp PA, Headman's, and Multiplier, with no ABs running

5.50 [1d12] + 34 18-30/x8 Add Overwhelming Critical



You need to add your own Dmg Mod*(1.5)

Add your seeker*multiplier

Add/Multiply in Melee Power into this for a final figure

Only consider rolls of 19-20 or remove LD Multipliers and OC for crit rolls of 18 or lower.

Didn't include +3 damage from Improved PA/Barbarian PA attainable through Warforged racial or a +1 barbarian splash

Add 1[w] dice for when in any action boost while in LD.

Also doesn't include (as far as I can tell) Devastating Critical from Dreadnaught.

Stoner81.

[Mr_Helmet]

For me, it seemed like 1)Falchion 2) Riftmaker 3)ESOS as far as the DPS ranking went for the DPS kobolds on lamannia. N=20 for each weapon.

Does the falchion have vulnerability stacks? if so, would the ESOS be better in a group where somebody else was swinging a TF/LGS weapon for that purpose?

[Cetus]

Ah thank you. I've been gone a little long. What was the change?

Actually, I don't think it's related to IC - as it adds +2 to threat range for greatswords and +3 to falchions.

The TF falchion starts out as an 18-20 x2, whereas ESOS starts out as a 17-20 x3. They end up with the same profile I think.

[Cetus]

Does the falchion have vulnerability stacks? if so, would the ESOS be better in a group where somebody else was swinging a TF/LGS weapon for that purpose?

Yea the falchion does. That's an interesting question, you'd have to weigh the extra multiplier of esos against the falchion profile which is 4.5[2d4] vs. 2.5]2d6], extra +2 enhancement bonus, the extra fortification bypass (35% - whatever item you're wearing, assuming they don't stack), and the crippling flames damage every hit. Additionally, the falchion bypasses more DR and has an additional orange slot.

[Therrias]

So, it's 15% doublestrike and +2 str/int (KTA) vs. +1 19/20 crit multiplier, 1.5W from dance of flowers, 2d6 sneak attack damage from ninja spy, +2 melee power (extra feat from 2 monk), fists of iron (+3 W, +1 threat, +1 multiplier every 3 seconds), adept + master strikes of the enduring (when worked in with fists of iron, can use the triple earth finisher for 2 multiplier as well).

You don't need Monk levels to use Dance of Flowers. Pure fighter with One with the Blade and no armor on still gets +1.5W

Also the AP that you didn't put in Ninja spy would be spent elsewhere. Possibly Great Weapon Aptitude, Weapon Attachment, Communion of Handling, and +2 INT.