Fist of the Metalline Dragon - A bladeforged monk/Paladin/Favored Soul Build.

[Ziindarax]

I first mentioned this build in a debate thread concerning warlock balances, but decided to post the build to public. Credit goes to Draconion and Qif (in-game characters on the Orien server) for helping me come up with the build. All points are level-ups are put into wisdom to aid with stunning fist DC's. Grandmaster of Flowers would be a good destiny for this character to roll in, but he would also benefit from having dance of flowers, flurry of blows, sense weakness, blessed blades, and/or Cocoon twisted in while he runs in unyielding sentinel (which gives him additional healing options and +20% hp). Primal scream can work as well since he won't be in paladin stance.

Since he has whirlwind strike, he would also be viable in tree mode, which the destiny grants additional bonuses for fighting twf/unarmed (up to and including an additional critical multiplier).

Another important note - the Character planner does not factor in primal past lives as far as hit points go, nor does it consider gearing (unfortunately).

Healing amp break down so no one needs to scroll down:

-120 penalty from being bladeforged
+30 from 3 paladin past lives (strongly recommended) reduces penalty to -90 (or 45% - remember, warforged start with -50%).
+50 from full ranks of healer's friend reducing the penalty to - 40.
+20 guild bonus for a new total of -20.
+40 healing amp (+10 per shintao core, and this build gives you four of them)- you now receive full positive energy healing and boost it's effects by 20.
+60 PDK* gloves (and later, epic abbot necklace) for a total so far of 80 points.
+45 exceptional stacking healing amp from level 21 Mysterious Remnant cloak that you obtain during the remnant events (which are fairly frequent as of this writing) - now we're in 125 healing amp mode.
+50 from fire stance with the Jidtz tet'ka bracers. 175 total
*75 from memoriam (does not stack with pdk gloves, so when you switch out the gloves for better gloves, you get a net increase of 15 for a total of 190).

200 - You can increase this further via twisting in the tier 3 Exalted Angel enhancement, but at this point, you risk compromising the efficacy of the build. By level 28, you're gaining (if I understand correctly) double healing from effects. For those who may be baffled as to why this should matter on a race that gets its own heals, understand that Bladeforged reconstruct is subject to quell (smite foe works more like smite evil, and in theory, should still work - will need to test further on that matter) and beholder anti-magic effects, and it has a spell point cost of 25 points per cast (you can run out of mana). Ameliorating may work during effects that prevent normal spell casting (such as reconstruct, for example). It also pays to be as versatile as you possibly can - and being able to benefit fully from positive energy and repair spells will make any build substantially more survivable.

With Bladeforged, I can attach my handwraps to effectively gain one unarmed die higher than a level 12 monk could get (they're getting 2.5W to their base unarmed damage, and levels all the way up to 19 get 3.0. So I am getting the base unarmed damage die of a level 19 monk - level 20 gets 3.5W, and I am getting with ship buffs 3.25W). Certain named wraps (Thunder forged, Antipode, level 24 wraps of endless light [but not the lower level versions before it] to name a few) grant an additional bonus to your unarmed dice attacks.

Character Plan by DDO Character Planner Version 4.31.203
DDO Character Planner Home Page

Fist of the Metalline Dragon
Level 20 Lawful Good Bladeforged Male
(4 Paladin \ 12 Monk \ 4 Favored Sou \ 10 Epicl) 
Hit Points: 498
Spell Points: 539 
BAB: 16\16\21\26\26
Fortitude: 25
Reflex: 21
Will: 24

                  Starting            Ending          Feat/Enhancement
Abilities        Base Stats         Base Stats         Modified Stats
(36 Point)       (Level 1)          (Level 20)           (Level 20)
Strength             14                 19                   19
Dexterity            14                 19                   19
Constitution         16                 21                   21
Intelligence         12                 17                   17
Wisdom               14                 24                   24
Charisma              8                 13                   13

Tomes Used
+1 Tome of Strength used at level 3 \par +2 Tome of Strength used at level 7 \par +3 Tome of Strength used at level 11 \par +4 Tome of Strength used at level 15 \par +5 Tome of Strength used at level 19 \par +6 Tome of Strength used at level 23 \par +1 Tome of Dexterity used at level 3 \par +2 Tome of Dexterity used at level 7 \par +3 Tome of Dexterity used at level 11 \par +4 Tome of Dexterity used at level 15 \par +5 Tome of Dexterity used at level 19 \par +6 Tome of Dexterity used at level 23 \par +1 Tome of Constitution used at level 3 \par +2 Tome of Constitution used at level 7 \par +3 Tome of Constitution used at level 11 \par +4 Tome of Constitution used at level 15 \par +5 Tome of Constitution used at level 19 \par +6 Tome of Constitution used at level 23 \par +1 Tome of Intelligence used at level 3 \par +2 Tome of Intelligence used at level 7 \par +3 Tome of Intelligence used at level 11 \par +4 Tome of Intelligence used at level 15 \par +5 Tome of Intelligence used at level 19 \par +6 Tome of Intelligence used at level 23 \par +1 Tome of Wisdom used at level 3 \par +2 Tome of Wisdom used at level 7 \par +3 Tome of Wisdom used at level 11 \par +4 Tome of Wisdom used at level 15 \par +5 Tome of Wisdom used at level 19 \par +6 Tome of Wisdom used at level 23 \par +1 Tome of Charisma used at level 3 \par +2 Tome of Charisma used at level 7 \par +3 Tome of Charisma used at level 11 \par +4 Tome of Charisma used at level 15 \par +5 Tome of Charisma used at level 19 \par +6 Tome of Charisma used at level 23 \par 
                  Starting            Ending          Feat/Enhancement
                 Base Skills        Base Skills        Modified Skills
Skills           (Level 1)          (Level 20)          (Level 20)
Balance               2                 23                   27
Bluff                 0                  0                    1
Concentration         4                 23                   28
Diplomacy             0                  0                    1
Disable Device        n/a               n/a                   n/a
Haggle                0                  0                    1
Heal                  4                 23                   30
Hide                  0                  0                    4
Intimidate            0                  0                    1
Jump                  0                 20                   24
Listen                0                  0                    7
Move Silently         0                  0                    4
Open Lock             n/a               n/a                   n/a
Perform               n/a               n/a                   n/a
Repair                2                  2                    5
Search                2                  2                    5
Spellcraft            0                  0                    3
Spot                  0                  1                    8
Swim                  0                  0                    4
Tumble                n/a                1                    5
Use Magic Device      n/a               n/a                   n/a

Level 1 (Paladin)
Skill: Balance (+2)
Skill: Concentration (+4)
Skill: Heal (+4)
Feat: (Selected) Dodge
Feat: (Deity) Follower of the Lord of Blades
Feat: (Past Life) Past Life: Artificer
Feat: (Past Life) Past Life: Artificer
Feat: (Past Life) Past Life: Favored Soul
Feat: (Past Life) Past Life: Fighter
Feat: (Past Life) Past Life: Fighter
Feat: (Past Life) Past Life: Paladin
Feat: (Past Life) Past Life: Paladin
Feat: (Past Life) Past Life: Paladin
Feat: (Past Life) Past Life: Warlock
Feat: (Past Life) Past Life: Warlock


Level 2 (Monk)
Skill: Balance (+3)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Heal (+0.5)
Feat: (Monk Bonus) Mobility


Level 3 (Monk)
Skill: Balance (+1)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Heal (+0.5)
Skill: Jump (+2)
Feat: (Monk Bonus) Combat Expertise
Feat: (Selected) Two Weapon Fighting


Level 4 (Monk)
Ability Raise: WIS
Skill: Balance (+1)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Heal (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Feat: (Monk Path) Path of Harmonious Balance: Fists of Light


Level 5 (Monk)
Skill: Balance (+1)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Heal (+0.5)
Skill: Jump (+2)


Level 6 (Monk)
Skill: Balance (+1)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Heal (+0.5)
Skill: Jump (+2)
Feat: (Selected) Spring Attack


Level 7 (Monk)
Skill: Balance (+1)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Heal (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Feat: (Monk Bonus) Stunning Fist


Level 8 (Monk)
Ability Raise: WIS
Skill: Balance (+1)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Heal (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Skill: Tumble (+1)


Level 9 (Monk)
Skill: Balance (+1)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Heal (+1)
Skill: Jump (+2)
Feat: (Selected) Whirlwind Attack


Level 10 (Monk)
Skill: Balance (+1)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Heal (+1)
Skill: Jump (+2)


Level 11 (Monk)
Skill: Balance (+1)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Heal (+1.5)
Skill: Jump (+1)


Level 12 (Monk)
Ability Raise: WIS
Skill: Balance (+1)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Heal (+1.5)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Feat: (Selected) Improved Critical: Bludgeoning Weapons


Level 13 (Monk)
Skill: Balance (+1)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Heal (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Skill: Spot (+1)


Level 14 (Paladin)
Skill: Balance (+0.5)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Heal (+2)


Level 15 (Paladin)
Skill: Balance (+1)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Heal (+1)
Feat: (Selected) Improved Two Weapon Fighting


Level 16 (Paladin)
Ability Raise: WIS
Skill: Balance (+1.5)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Heal (+1)
Spell (1): Bless
Spell (1): Cure Light Wounds
Spell (1): Divine Favor
Spell (1): Lesser Restoration
Spell (1): Lionheart
Spell (1): Protection from Evil
Spell (1): Resistance
Spell (1): Seek Eternal Rest
Spell (1): Virtue


Level 17 (Favored Soul)
Skill: Balance (+1)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Heal (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Spell (1): Nightshield
Spell (1): Shield of Faith


Level 18 (Favored Soul)
Skill: Balance (+1)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Heal (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Feat: (Selected) Greater Two Weapon Fighting
Spell (1): Obscuring Mist


Level 19 (Favored Soul)
Skill: Balance (+1)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Heal (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Spell (1): Remove Fear


Level 20 (Favored Soul)
Ability Raise: WIS
Skill: Balance (+1)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Heal (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Spell (2): Cure Moderate Wounds

Enhancements:

Enhancement: Bladeforged - Improved Fortification (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Bladeforged - Healer's Friend (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Bladeforged - Healer's Friend (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Bladeforged - Healer's Friend (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Bladeforged - Communion of Scribing (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Bladeforged - Communion of Scribing (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Bladeforged - Communion of Scribing (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Bladeforged - Fearsome Presence (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Bladeforged - Communion of Handling (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Bladeforged - Weapon Attachment (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Bladeforged - Power of the Forge (Rank 1)

Enhancement: Knight of the Chalice (Pal) - Slayer of Evil I (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Knight of the Chalice (Pal) - Courage of Heaven (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Knight of the Chalice (Pal) - Extra Remove Disease (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Knight of the Chalice (Pal) - Extra Remove Disease (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Knight of the Chalice (Pal) - Extra Remove Disease (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Knight of the Chalice (Pal) - Extra Smite (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Knight of the Chalice (Pal) - Extra Smite (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Knight of the Chalice (Pal) - Exalted Cleave (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Knight of the Chalice (Pal) - Exalted Cleave (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Knight of the Chalice (Pal) - Exalted Cleave (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Knight of the Chalice (Pal) - Action Boost: Melee/Ranged Power (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Knight of the Chalice (Pal) - Improved Restoration (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Knight of the Chalice (Pal) - Improved Restoration (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Knight of the Chalice (Pal) - Improved Restoration (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Knight of the Chalice (Pal) - Divine Sacrifice (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Knight of the Chalice (Pal) - Divine Sacrifice (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Knight of the Chalice (Pal) - Divine Sacrifice (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Knight of the Chalice (Pal) - Exalted Smite (Rank 1)

Enhancement: Shintao (Mnk) - Bastion of Purity (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Shintao (Mnk) - Protection from Tainted Creatures (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Shintao (Mnk) - Iron Hand (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Shintao (Mnk) - Argent Fist (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Shintao (Mnk) - Lifting the Veil (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Shintao (Mnk) - Deft Strikes (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Shintao (Mnk) - Deft Strikes (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Shintao (Mnk) - Deft Strikes (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Shintao (Mnk) - Restoring the Balance (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Shintao (Mnk) - Iron Skin (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Shintao (Mnk) - Iron Skin (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Shintao (Mnk) - Iron Skin (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Shintao (Mnk) - Fists of Iron (Rank 1)

Enhancement: Warpriest (Fvs) - Smite Foe (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Warpriest (Fvs) - Toughness (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Warpriest (Fvs) - Toughness (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Warpriest (Fvs) - Toughness (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Warpriest (Fvs) - Sacred Touch (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Warpriest (Fvs) - Sacred Touch (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Warpriest (Fvs) - Smite Weakness (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Warpriest (Fvs) - Wall of Steel (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Warpriest (Fvs) - Wall of Steel (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Warpriest (Fvs) - Wall of Steel (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Warpriest (Fvs) - Inflame (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Warpriest (Fvs) - Inflame (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Warpriest (Fvs) - Inflame (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Warpriest (Fvs) - Inflame: Saving Throws (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Warpriest (Fvs) - Inflame: Saving Throws (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Warpriest (Fvs) - Inflame: Saving Throws (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Warpriest (Fvs) - Inflame: Energy Absorption (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Warpriest (Fvs) - Inflame: Energy Absorption (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Warpriest (Fvs) - Inflame: Energy Absorption (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Warpriest (Fvs) - Ameliorating Strike (Rank 1)

Level 21 (Epic) 
Feat: (Selected) Epic: Improved Martial Arts 
 
Level 22 (Epic) 
 
Level 23 (Epic) 
 
Level 24 (Epic) 
Feat: (Selected) Epic: Overwhelming Critical 
 
Level 25 (Epic) 
 
Level 26 (Epic) 
Feat: (Epic Destiny) Primal Sphere: Perfect Two Weapon Fighting 
 
Level 27 (Epic) 
Feat: (Selected) Epic: Epic Damage Reduction 
 
Level 28 (Epic) 
Feat: (Epic Destiny) Primal Sphere: Epic Spell Power: Positive 
 
Level 29 (Epic) 
Feat: (Epic Destiny) Divine Sphere: Deific Warding 
 
Level 30 (Epic) 
Feat: (Selected) Epic: Blinding Speed 
Feat: (Legendary) Scion of the Shadowfell

[moo_cow]

4 levels of Fvs just for Ameliorating Strike? You're a BF

Seems like an AP sink into a heal when you give up quite a bit when it isn't even necessary.

What do you gain from it other than that?

[Ziindarax]

4 levels of Fvs just for Ameliorating Strike? You're a BF

Seems like an AP sink into a heal when you give up quite a bit when it isn't even necessary.

What do you gain from it other than that?

Warpriest gives me prr, an action boost which increases my resistance to elemental damage by 15%, as well as my attack/damage and saves being boosted by 4. Next, my Smite foe hits the enemy with 4-7 stacks of vulnerability, which increases my overall DPS. With full two weapon fighting chain, your ameliorating strike can hit two or even three times, and that's an AOE heal for everyone, not just yourself. More importantly, barbarians can use ameliorating strike while in a barbaric rage, which adds to their self-sustainability. One other thing to keep in mind is now-a-days, mobs (and worst of all, beholders) have learned that you cannot negative level spam a warforged/bladeforged, but you CAN stat drain him - Ameliorating strike offers a lesser-restoration effect which can help mitigate stat damage that enemies have become fond of using.

I have 15% healing amplification thanks to having three paladin past lives, and bladeforged (as you know) get a -60% to their healing amp - 60%-15% = 45% (5 points under standard warforged healing amp penalty). Healer's friend reduces the penalty with full ranks from 50% to 20%. That 20% is easily negated by the Shintao cores which give you 10% (and I've got four of them). So in the end, with just the enhancements and past life feats, I actually gain 100% of positive healing. Then, you take the PDK gloves (or the epic Three Barrel Cove gloves). Converted into the numbers of how healing amp now displays. I start out with -120 healing amp (the new system took the percents, removed the percent signs, and basically doubled it - so +30% would show as +60), my three paladin past lives give me +30, reducing that penalty down to 90. Next, my three ranks of healer's friend reduces this penalty down further to 40 which is then completely negated by the shintao cores. If you have (/a friend has) a guild ship with the bath amenity, this will give you an additional 20 points to your healing amp - you're now gaining more positive healing. The Mysterious cloak's healing amp (across levels 7-21) provide a healing amp bonus which stacks with the normal healing amp gear (so at level 21, I usually wear the +60 healing amp PDK gloves, and I am able to switch out my Cloak of Night for the level 21 Mysterious cloak that gives me a stacking 45 points to my healing amp). Altogether, I would receive normal healing + 125 points (if I understand the new healing amp system correctly - so 2 hit points would be more like 3-5 or something like that).

This may seem odd to you, but it is possible to overwhelm and kill a bladeforged character because their reconstruct is on cool down.

[moo_cow]

This may seem odd to you, but it is possible to overwhelm and kill a bladeforged character because their reconstruct is on cool down.

Yeah I understand that. But multiclassing just to spend a boatload of AP doesn't seem like the solution.

[Ziindarax]

Yeah I understand that. But multiclassing just to spend a boatload of AP doesn't seem like the solution.

It does when you can not only negate the bladeforged healing amp penalty, but also gain 120+ healing amp in the process.

Edit: What's your idea for improvement? I am interested in hearing thoughts, but I need more than simple criticism (if nothing else, for the sake of anyone else who might be reading this thread).

[Dream_Marauder]

It does when you can not only negate the bladeforged healing amp penalty, but also gain 120+ healing amp in the process.

Edit: What's your idea for improvement? I am interested in hearing thoughts, but I need more than simple criticism (if nothing else, for the sake of anyone else who might be reading this thread).

It seems like if you are going to all trouble of building up positive Hamp on a bladeforged with the -60 penalty, you could achieve same numbers much more easily with any fleshy race. Why is it important to make this character BF?