Epic Challenge Runner

[EllisDee37]

I'd kind of like an epic challenge farmer on my dualbox account, which doesn't have warlocks. Since my main account already has a pale master for epic challenges, I'd like to change things up for the dualbox version. I'm thinking bard trapper.

I have two main motivations to roll up this character at all: 1) To be able to farm epic tokens for purifieds for the dualbox account's crafter, and 2) To double my chest pulls in whatever high level farming I happen to be doing. There's no particular reason he needs to be an epic challenge farmer (and thus stay at level 21), but being able to dualbox epic challenges would be nice for torch runs. And I think this guy would be far superior to the pale master in rushmore's since he would run much faster, plus have sprint boost.

This was initially an 18/2 bard trapper in fatesinger, but after feedback in the thread I've changed it to a 16/2/2 bard trapper with two barb levels for +10% run speed and 3 more sprint boosts per rest.

This build also happens to be an optimal collectable farmer, which was a happy coincidence. That alone is almost worth the hassle of rolling one of these up.

For an iconic version, Shadar-kai is the only option to keep the 16/2/2 level split. Drop Kama proficiency, move extend to level 6, and choose a different swashbuckling weapon. A drow short sword of the weapon master might be your best bet. Skills will take a significant hit; drop concentration altogether, and sacrifice some trapping skills. For the leveling order, start with rogue (obviously) then take your two barbarian levels and the second rogue level whenever makes the most sense to maximize your skills.



Epic Challenge Runner
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
. . . . . . . .28pt. . .32pt . . 34pt . . 36pt . . Level Up
. . . . . . . .----. . .---- . . ---- . . ---- . . --------
Strength. . . . 16 . . . 16. . . .18. . . .18. . . .4: STR
Dexterity . . . 14 . . . 14. . . .14. . . .14. . . .8: STR
Constitution. . 14 . . . 14. . . .14. . . .14. . . 12: STR
Intelligence. . 14 . . . 14. . . .14. . . .14. . . 16: STR
Wisdom. . . . . .8 . . . .8. . . . 8. . . . 8. . . 20: STR
Charisma. . . . .8 . . . 12. . . . 8. . . .10. . .


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. . .1. 1 .1. 1. 2. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 23
Disable . . .4. . . . 4 .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. 1 .1. 1 .1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 23
Open Lo . . .2. ½ .½. 3 . . 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 .18
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

1. Expeditious Retreat, Detect Secret Doors, Sonic Blast, Merfolk's Blessing, Focusing Chant
2. Blur, Cure Moderate Wounds, Invisibility, Rage
3. Displacement, Haste, Cure Serious Wounds, Good Hope
4. Dimension Door, Freedom of Movement, Cure Critical Wounds, Otto's Sphere of Dancing
5. Greater Heroism, Mass Cure Light Wounds, Greater Dispel Magic, <Any>
6. Otto's Irresistible Dance, Heroes' Feast

Enhancements (80 AP)

Swashbuckler (37 AP)

• Confidence, Swashbuckling, Uncanny Dodge, Panache
  
  1. On Your Toes II, Tavern Shanties II
  2. Fast Movement, Double Strike Boost III
  3. Skirmisher, Resonant Arms III
  4. On the Mark III, Low Blow
  5. Thread the Needle, Second Skin I, Exploit Weakness, Coup de Grace: Melee

Warchanter (25 AP)

• Skaldic: Rage, Weapon Training, Song of Heroism, Fighting Spirit
  
  1. Poetic Edda III, Rough and Ready III
  2. Iced Edges III, Sprint Boost III
  3. High Spirits III, Frozen Fury III
  4. Reckless Chant III

Frenzied Berserker (8 AP)

• Die Hard
  
  1. Extra Rage I, Athletics III
  2. Extra Action Boost III

Spellsinger (7 AP)

• Spellsinger
  
  1. Studies: Magical III, Lingering Songs III

Human (3 AP)

• Damage Boost
  
  1. Improved Recovery

Destiny (24 AP)

Fatesinger

1. Allure III, Strength
2. Lucidity III, Strength
3. Aria III, Strength
4. Echoes of Martial, Strength
5. Fragment of Clarity II, Fragment of Valor II
6. Turn of the Tide

Twists of Fate (14 fate points)

1. Grim Precision (Tier 3 Shadowdancer)
2. Legendary Shield Mastery (Tier 2 Sentinel)
3. Extra Action Boost (Tier 1 Dreadnought)

Gear

Head: ML21 Sheltering 25 Helmet of Stunning 11 w/Ins. Fortification 57 (Feather Falling)
Eyes: ML21 Search 18 Goggles of Deadly 8 w/Ins. Seeker 4 (Water Breathing)
Neck: ML21 Ins. Spell Resist 11 Necklace of Charisma 10 w/Ins. Charisma 4 (Deathblock)
Back: ML21 Spell Resist 22 Cloak of Dodge Bonus 10 w/Ins. MRR 12 (Wisdom +6)
Wrist: ML21 Resistance 8 Bracers of Ins. PRR 12 w/Ins. Strength 4 (Fear Immunity)
Hand: ML21 Melee Alacrity 15 Gloves of Armor Piercing 15 w/Ins. Perform 9 (Master's Gift)
Waist: Spare Hand (Good Luck +2, Intelligence +6)
Feet: ML21 Dexterity 10 Boots of Strength 10 w/Ins. Dexterity 4 (Striding +30%)
Ring: Ring of the Stalker (Heavy Fort, Vitality)
Ring: ML21 Perform 18 Ring of False Life 38 w/Ins. Constitution 4 (Blindness Immunity)
Trinket: Blasting Chime
Body: ML21 Constitution 10 Spiritcraft Leather of Healing Amp 40 (Armored Agility)

Weapon: Forrester's Brush Hook
Shield: ML21 Devotion 115 Spiritcraft Buckler of Wizardry 203 w/Ins. Deadly 3
Range: Nightforge Spike


Scores

50 strength (16 base +5 levelups +4 fatesinger +1 echoes +14 boots & bracers +2 1750 tome +2 ship +4 skaldic rage +2 rage spell)
30 dexterity (14 base +14 boots +2 ship)
30 constitution (14 base +14 armor & ring +2 ship)
22 intelligence (14 base +6 augment +2 ship)
16 wisdom (8 base +6 augment +2 ship)
28 charisma (12 base +14 necklace +2 ship)

43 umd (23 ranks +1 epic level +9 charisma +3 lucidity +1 spellsinger cores +2 luck augment +4 gtr heroism)
75 perform (23 ranks +1 epic level +18 ring +9 gloves +9 charisma +1 spellsinger cores +6 allure +2 songblade +2 luck +4 gtr heroism)
33+ songs/rest (16 bard levels +2 tavern shanties +3 poetic edda +12 fatesinger cores +anthem regeneration)

43 frozen fury (10 base +9 charisma +8 bard levels +11 helmet +4 belt +1 ship)

27 dodge cap (25 base +2 ship)
26 max dex bonus (18 spiritcraft leather +4 swashbuckler cores +2 second skin +2 augment)
26 dodge (10 skirmisher +4 swashbuckler cores +2 on your toes +10 cloak)

36 doublestrike (12 belt +3 swashbuckling +15 shield mastery +6 reckless chant)
60 armor piercing (25 precision +15 grim precision +15 gloves +5 ship)

+58% run speed (32 haste +16 bard levels +10 barbarian)
13 sprint boosts (5 base +3 frenzied berserker +3 twist +1 echoes of LD +1 ship)

[Saekee]

How strongly do you feel about Roll with the Punches? Because one barb level will really make this guy fly

[unbongwah]

Since you're not building for Enchantment DCs, my first thought was one of those bard 12 / ftr 6 / rog 2 builds using handaxes. Bard 12 gets you 3 lvl 4 spells (FoM / CCW / DDoor). Handaxes become 15-18/x4 19-20/x7 with all relevant crit bonuses which compares favorably with Brush Hook; and you can still use it as a DR breaker if you needed it. [I'm presuming you can Cannith-craft all the ML:21 or below handaxes you could possibly need.] The extra ftr feats would let you squeeze in PA/CL/GC chain for Momentum Swing+Lay Waste if you switch to LD; you list enough Twists that you evidently intend to do some ED leveling already.

[EllisDee37]

Since you're not building for Enchantment DCs, my first thought was one of those bard 12 / ftr 6 / rog 2 builds using handaxes. Bard 12 gets you 3 lvl 4 spells (FoM / CCW / DDoor). Handaxes become 15-18/x4 19-20/x7 with all relevant crit bonuses which compares favorably with Brush Hook; and you can still use it as a DR breaker if you needed it. [I'm presuming you can Cannith-craft all the ML:21 or below handaxes you could possibly need.] The extra ftr feats would let you squeeze in PA/CL/GC chain for Momentum Swing+Lay Waste if you switch to LD; you list enough Twists that you evidently intend to do some ED leveling already.

For handaxes I'd go with Axe of the Unseen Blow, which would be +1 multiplier on all your numbers. (15-20x5 compared to 13-20x4 for Brush Hook.) As for DR breaking, I don't actually care much at all on a swashbuckler. That's more of a nice perk than an issue.

But remember:

Also, since this will be a challenge farmer, I want as many caster levels as possible for extended haste. This locks me into an 18/2 build that stays in Fatesinger.

The 18/2 build in the OP can cast 4:36 haste on kobold workers, compared to only 2:24 from the 12/6/2 LD version. Also as a challenge farmer, the primary content will have enemies roughly equivalent to running Mirror Darkly on EN. I'm honestly not sure if the DPS disparity between the build in the OP and a build with fully double that DPS would even be distinguishable.

One thing I know with certainty: I don't love running rushmore on my pale master challenge farmer because he runs incredibly slow, at a sad +32% run speed.

How strongly do you feel about Roll with the Punches? Because one barb level will really make this guy fly

Very little, but I do care about the 12 seconds I'd lose on hasted kobolds. Then again, do I really need evasion? Maybe 18/1/1? Hmmm. I could see using this build to handle traps for VON5 dailies on my main account, but you need evasion for the traps in VON5. Not to survive them; to physically disable them without being interrupted.

I would really enjoy that barbarian run speed, though, for sure. Hmmm.

[unbongwah]

Oh, so what you really want is bard 16 / barb 2 / rog 2 with T5 Warchanter for Expeditious Chant with 41% base run speed? Maybe CHA-based for reasonable DCs on WC freeze atks + discoball?

[Arktanis]

I'd almost suggest a PDK build, but you would need a +1 heart, this would give even better warchanter DCs. And could maybe squeeze in the Rallying Cry buff as well.

[EllisDee37]

Oh, so what you really want is bard 16 / barb 2 / rog 2 with T5 Warchanter for Expeditious Chant with 41% base run speed? Maybe CHA-based for reasonable DCs on WC freeze atks + discoball?

I very much considered CHA-based, but then I thought back to all the times I ran challenges on my monk and then at the end of the session had to open up and decon like 30 chests. In the end I decided that STR-based was better so I can ignore encumbrance.

I also considered disco ball goodness for sunset ritual, but figured fascinate would be more reliable since I can reach a much higher perform than I can enchant DC. (75 perform as written with gear compared to 50 enchant DC if I went full enchant-specced, sacrificing much dps in the process.) If, for example, I wanted to use CC to protect the colossal crystal carrier, I think fascinate will be far more effective than dancing ball.

Most of the time I won't be using any CC at all, and perform is also useful for the shield stun thingy, so it seemed like just standing pat with fascinate is the better bet.

As for base run-speed, you forgot haste: +73% runspeed, compared to +50% as written or +59% if I go 17/2/1, which isn't off the table. One thing to point out is that I'll have 10 sprint boosts per rest as written, +50% action boost bonus per use. I envision I'll be doing a lot of sprinting, and the Expeditious Chant won't do anything for me while it's active.

EDIT: Man, 16/2/2 does open up the possibility of 13 action boosts per rest, though, and that would be incredibly useful in rushmore. Where to find 8 AP for +3 boosts/rest, though?