Level 12 Support mule challenge

[Zoink]

I have friends who do the level train a LOT faster than I do. I still like to play with them at whatever level they happen to be at. So I'm splitting my various bank mules up into level ranges. This question is what to do about a lv 12 first life mule who can be effective (in a group) up to about R4.

Role wise as a 1st life I'm thinking traps+ heals, and maybe DPS (artificer?). Secondary to the role it has to have enough HP to avoid being 1 shot all the time (or 5+ levels of monk and self rez...hrmm...). I'm finding the AP split hard to pull off the support role.

What are some of the best synergies for lv 12 in this case? For example, a 2 art/10 cleric (animal) is solid traps/heals but DPS is lacking. Remember limited AP 48 + 1 racial and only 5 base feats.

Your thoughts appreciated

[Krelar]

Arty in the renegade mastermaker tree. The curative addmixture SLAs can have empower heal, empower and maximize applied to them for strong cheap AOE heals. If you take construct essence or go warforged you can also get a big boost to constitution and %HP bonus.

[C-Dog]

On R4 there isn't a lot in the "1st life" category that can avoid being one-shotted by some Reapers. So you have to be able to avoid the Carnages, and stop the MM's from Plagues. (Fears, Famines, not ~as~ strong). So you def want a "stand off" type, either ranged or a caster.

Biggest problem is that a first life has no Reaper Points, and a big pile of Reaper Enhancements adds a LOT of survivability when you're talking anything over R1-2. And short of banking every level after 2, parking and milking every last RXP you can squeeze out, you won't have more than a handful*, which will help, but simply won't be anything like a real safety net for mid-level Reaper.

(* If you're dedicated, you could scrape up 4 points for max DPS boost, plus 2 more in each other tree for +2 more uses/rest, for 8 pts total - and ~maybe~ a couple/few more. It'd be hard to get much more than that on a 1st life before Level 12.)

Slarden's Reaper build is a solid one - traps well, front loads DPS, boosts UMD for scrolling, and you could easily turn down the DPS and turn up the survivability (via Stalward D) by tweaking the AP spending. Go Human for +1 Feat (but that won't include IPS b/c BAB < 11).

o https://www.ddo.com/forums/showthrea...=1#post5995673 (& in char-planner format)

(Don't forget to go to Korthos and farm up a couple/few of these: Protective Gloves, if you don't have something better, to guard against caster Reapers.)

Note also that since you're going to park it at 12, you could go Iconic, and simply not take all the levels. PDK would be closest to human. Start by taking Level 2 only, then milk every level, one at a time, if you want to scrape up a few RXP.


Short of that, a simple, dedicated Electric Sorcie would pro'ly be your best bet. Ignore Fire (you don't have the AP to make it worthwhile on R4), and just go all in on Air/Sonic spells. Bonus points for blue Dragonborn.

If you're set on trapping, then a PM would be one other solution - something like this, but w/ one more level - https://www.ddo.com/forums/showthrea...=1#post5701830

Lastly, a blasting Warlock w/ Arti 1 or Rog 1-2 splash, GOO or possibly Fiend. Probably won't be able to squeeze in Spot, but I bet you won't need it in that group.

[awar1234]

10 Wizard... max INT..... SF enchant, GSF enchant, spell pen, greater spell pen, EXTEND
Charm...hold...web...dance... plus party buffs .... blur, haste, rage
Archmage max enchant ... party will love you!

2 Rogue.... evasion.... UMD!!! Search, disable, open lock,
Buy all ulitity scrolls.... Rez, heal, summon monster, protect elements....etc
Get those trap bonuses!! Party will love you!!

STAY in the back, away from danger
They won’t care if you don’t do much DPS

[cru121]

Gnome Artificer 12
20 INT, 18 CON (32 pb)

Enhancements:
24 Arcanotechnician for Blast Rod and Lightning Bolt
11 RM for 3th core
8 Gnome AP
few points free (more int? or int to hit?)

Feats: Maximize, Empower, Quicken, Heighten, Empower Heal, Insightful Reflexes

Gear: 5 piece slavers with Sorcery set, ravenloft medium armor, electric belt, barovian scepter; heavy shield (slavers?) or tower shield off hand

Hotbar: Color Spray SLA, Blast Rod SLA, Lightning Sphere SLA, Lightning Bolt SLA, Static Shock SLA, Quickened Flame Turret, free, Palliative Admixture, CLW SLA, CSW SLA

Highlights:
Crowd control via Color Spray (helpless), Lightning Sphere, Static Shock
Obscene electric DPS using the cheap SLAs
Extremely cheap and potent heals using SLAs, CL15 Heal scrolls for 262.5 base heals before heal amp
60-70 AC, can scroll Displacement (54s per scroll)
Artificer buffs

[Selvera]

My current archer alt is what I'd consider a pretty decent support for mid reapers:

Build: Elf or Half Elf, pure Favored Soul, wisdom based

Feats: Rapid shot, point blank shot, precise shot, manyshot, improved critical ranged (Optional: swap out IC:ranged for spell focus enchantment)

AP at 12: 44

Elf/Helf: 14 points (unlock AA)
Arcane Archer: 26 points (Paralyzing arrows; +2 paralyzing DC, +1 wisdom)
Beacon of Hope: Everything else

Pump everything into wisdom; get wisdom, enchantment and positive spellpower gear. All reaper points into wisdom/spellpower.

End result: Someone who can heal very well (level 12 gives the heal spell) and paralyze pretty much everything that can be paralyzed (includes reapers, spiders and most stuff that's not undead/mindless), is long range (helps mitigate low defenses of first lifer), doesn't run out of SP very quickly (only healing costs SP and you have fvs SP pool) and when you're on the boss; can contribute a small amount of damage (Switch to elemental arrows and hit manyshot).

Cons: No trapping; pretty squishy if you don't manage to paralyze everything; very low damage outside of manyshot; no AoE damage

Special note: In order to paralyze the most enemies at once, constantly switch targets while shooting. Your arrows are single target but I've been able to paralyze 3-4 enemies at the same time despite that.