U41.4 Preview 1: Iconic Tiefling Scoundrel

[Cocomajobo]

Disclaimer

Everything seen on the preview server, Lamannia, is not final and is subject to change or removal before live release. Specific extra disclaimer on the current visual appearance of Tiefling and Tiefling Scoundrel.

First, if you haven't already been there please check out the U41.4 Preview 1 Main thread.

How to Access
You can access the Tiefling Scoundrel Iconic Eberron Race on the Preview server by speaking to Lord Poincelot in the center of the Test Dojo and then purchasing it in the Lamannia DDO Store.

Description
The Tiefling Scoundrel is a new full Iconic Eberron race debuting soon, with its own past lives as well as horns and fully animated tails. Their tails are animated to interact with cloaks without clipping through them, so you'll be able to enjoy the many options for customization without worrying about intersections.The position of the horns on the head, just like Dragonborn, exclude them from the appearance of many helmets that cover their face or brow.

The Tiefling iconic race, the Scoundrel, is a melee focused Bard with an emphasis on Sonic and Fire damage. In addition to a different darkness specialization path than the heroic Tiefling race, the Tiefling Scoundrel iconic also features their own unique animations for Bardic Music that revolve around their Fiddle.

This Iconic Race involves many new animations for all of DDO's various weapon styles; please let us know where things don't look right.

Base Racial Trait

• Ability Scores
  
  • +2 Charisma
• Feats
  
  • Infernal Ancestry: You gain Fire Resistance equal to your Character Level. You gain +2 to the Balance skill, as well as a +2 bonus to Saves vs Spells. You have a +2 bonus to hit and damage against Lawful Outsiders and Good Outsiders. You are Immune to Fear.
  • Fiendish Arpeggio: SLA: Enchant your fiddle to cast this spell, dealing 2d4 fire damage, plus 1 fire damage per 2 caster levels (max 2d4+10), to a target. The damage repeats itself every 2 seconds for 12 seconds. Passive: +18 Spell Points.
• Past Lives
  
  • Passive: +1 Reflex Save per Stack of this Past Life (max 3).
  • Toggle: Gain 10/20/30% Enhancement Bonus to Movement Speed (does not stack with Striding/Speed items or Haste).
• Where their Journey Begins
  
  • Tiefling Scoundrel's begin with 1 level of Bard
  • Tiefling Scoundrel's currently begin in the Wheloon tavern. This will not be their starting area when they are released on the live servers.

Enhancement Tree

• Cores
  
  1. Bloodsong Your weapon attacks add 1d4 Sonic damage to enemies under 75% HP. This damage scales with 100% Spell Power. Passive: +5 Fire and Sonic Spell Power.
  2. Charisma +1 Charisma
  3. Bloodsong Your weapon attacks add 1d6 Sonic damage to enemies under 50% HP. This damage scales with 100% Spell Power. Passive: +10 Fire and Sonic Spell Power.
  4. Charisma +1 Charisma
  5. Bloodsong Passive: +20 Fire and Sonic Spell Power. Your weapon attacks add 1d8 Sonic damage to enemies under 25% HP. This damage scales with 200% Spell Power.
• Tier 1
  
  • Hellish Rebuke SLA: Enveloped in a cloak of infernal flame, you have a chance to deal fire damage to foes that strike you in melee range. Enemies have a chance to take 1d10 Fire Damage +1 per Caster Level. This damage scales with Fire Spell Power. 4 Minute Duration. 12 Second Cooldown.
  • Scoundrel's Skills +1/2/3 Balance, Bluff, & Spellcraft
  • Dashing Weapons You are trained in the art of fine weaponry. You have +1 to Hit and Damage with the following weapons: Shortsword, Rapier, Handaxe, Light Hammer, Light (non-repeating) Crossbow.
  • Wand & Scroll Mastery +25%/50%/75% damage and healing of your wands, scrolls, and other items that cast spells. Adds +1/2/3 to the save DC's of your offensive wands.
  • Obscuring Darkness SLA: You can channel your fiendish nature to manifest a zone of Obscuring Darkness at will. Creatures inside the darkness suffer a 20% chance of missing any attack they make due to concealment. This does not apply to attacking misted targets from outside. 10 SP. Lasts 30 seconds. 30 second cooldown.
• Tier 2
  
  • Improved Fiendish Arpeggio The target of your Fiendish Arpeggio has their movement speed reduced by 50% for 12 seconds.
  • Infernal Resistance Multiselector. Choose one of:
    
    • Infernal Resistance (Acid): You gain Acid Resistance equal to your Character Level.
    • Infernal Resistance (Cold): You gain Cold Resistance equal to your Character Level.
  • Improved Dashing Weapons +1 to Hit and Damage with your Dashing Weapons.
  • Traditionalist Caster +3/+6/+10 Universal Spell Power when wielding an Orb or Staff.
  • Lasting Darkness Enemies that enter your Obscuring Darkness have a chance to be Blinded with no save.
• Tier 3
  
  • Disarming Coda The target of your Fiendish Arpeggio has -4 Armor Class and -25% Fortification for 12 seconds.
  • Infernal Resistance Multiselector. Choose one of:
    
    • Infernal Resistance (Acid): You gain Acid Resistance equal to your Character Level.
    • Infernal Resistance (Cold): You gain Cold Resistance equal to your Character Level.
  • Scoundrel's Inspiration Your Inspire Courage adds an additional +1/2/3 to Attack and +0/0/1 to damage
  • Greater Dashing Weapons +1 to Hit and Damage with your Dashing Weapons.
  • Dance in Darkness While inside Obscuring Darkness, you gain +3 Saving Throws, +3 Magical Resistance Rating, and +15 to Magical Resistance Cap.
• Tier 4
  
  • Grand Chord Works Enchant your fiddle to cast this spell. If the target is not under the effect of Fiendish Arpeggio, they must save or be put to sleep for 12 seconds (Will save vs. (1d20+Perform Skill)). If the target is under the effect of Fiendish Arpeggio (and made of flesh), they must save or be turned to stone (Will save vs. (1d20+Perform Skill)) as if they were subject to a Flesh to Stone spell. The Flesh to Stone lasts 60 seconds plus 10 seconds per character level, but the target has a chance to save again every 24 seconds. Spell Point Cost: 35. Cooldown: 20 seconds.
  • Charm Hearts Enemies that attack you have a 10% chance to be subjugated to a Fascinate effect (Will Save vs 1d20 + Perform Skill negates).
  • Dark Weapons +1 to Hit and Damage, as well as +1 Sneak Attack Die, with your Dashing Weapons.
  • Magic of Melodies +1 Enchantment DC, +1 Caster Level and +1 Max Caster Level with Sonic Spells.
  • Sonata of Darkness While inside Obscuring Darkness, you gain Displacement, +5% Dodge, +5 Dodge Cap, and +5 Max Dex Bonus.

Currently Known Bugs

• There are some work in progress animation issues scattered amongst the various weapon styles for male and female. If you find them, please let us know.
• There is an enhancement called "Infernal Songs" currently listed in Tier 3. This is both non-functional and not intended to be in the final version of the tree.
• Hellish Rebuke has been replaced with an erroneous copy of a skills boost enhancement from the Aasimar Tree.
• Bonuses granted while standing in the Obscuring Darkness cloud do not have their short duration reapplied unless you leave and reenter the darkness.
• Grand Chord Works is currently a passive enhancement that does nothing instead of the active enhancement it is meant to be.
• Tiefling Scoundrels currently begin their life in the Wheloon tavern Iconic starting area. This is not where they will begin when released on the live servers. As a result, Elminster is not set up to properly recognize a Tiefling Scoundrel and players are advised to seek training elsewhere (the Test Dojo perhaps).
• Tiefling Scoundrels currently select from Forgotten Realms deities when taking Divine class levels; they should, instead, select from Eberron deities.

[blerkington]

The past life toggle doesn't seem super useful given it doesn't stack with striding. At best it will be useful for a short time early in the heroic levelling process or for people who somehow can't fit a striding item into their gear at higher levels.

I don't think it should be allowed to stack with other forms of movement speed, but maybe it should do something else entirely. Also, a reflex save increase as a passive bonus doesn't really seem on theme either for a bard.

Thanks for the write-up.

[Sebastrd]

The past life toggle doesn't seem super useful given it doesn't stack with striding. At best it will be useful for a short time early in the heroic levelling process or for people who somehow can't fit a striding item into their gear at higher levels.

I don't think it should be allowed to stack with other forms of movement speed, but maybe it should do something else entirely. Also, a reflex save increase as a passive bonus doesn't really seem on theme either for a bard.

Thanks for the write-up.

I think the point of the toggle is to provide a viable alternative to Quiver of Alacrity. Also, it's a toggle. If it isn't super useful for your build or gear, you can always use one of the other Iconic Past life toggles, instead.

[Shadow_Jumper]

Also, a reflex save increase as a passive bonus doesn't really seem on theme either for a bard.

I was imagining a PL similar to Deep Gnome, but more Bard centric.

Passive: +3 MRR
Toggle: +10 Sonic SP

Something like that.

[blerkington]

I think the point of the toggle is to provide a viable alternative to Quiver of Alacrity. Also, it's a toggle. If it isn't super useful for your build or gear, you can always use one of the other Iconic Past life toggles, instead.

Yes, I get that.

What I don't think is good about this approach is the toggle seems significantly less useful than the others. I would prefer to see a toggle that made a case for using itself outside the narrow set of circumstances mentioned in my first post.

Putting in deliberately weak abilities because you know there are other better choices doesn't seem like great design to me; it's just more of that phantom build diversity that DDO suffers from - lots and lots of choices that are so bad they mostly remain unused.

This makes very little difference to me, but I would like to see the people who do these past lives to be adequately rewarded for their effort, not over-rewarded or under-rewarded.

Thanks.

[blerkington]

I was imagining a PL similar to Deep Gnome, but more Bard centric.

Passive: +3 MRR
Toggle: +10 Sonic SP

Something like that.

Nice one.

[mr420247]

Def need run speed but only if it stacks so far falcons better nothing useful pl wise for people spening money on this

Enchant DCS i would pay for or more actual run speed

Iconic to bard and similar to gnome

[GramercyRiff]

I kind of like the tree. The darkness stuff fits nicely.

You could have the past life toggle ward X% of movement speed penalty. You are immune to X% movement speed penalties. This is good all the time.

As it stands, this doesn't make me want to buy the package with this in it.

[spyder7723]

Yes, I get that.

What I don't think is good about this approach is the toggle seems significantly less useful than the others. I would prefer to see a toggle that made a case for using itself outside the narrow set of circumstances mentioned in my first post.

Putting in deliberately weak abilities because you know there are other better choices doesn't seem like great design to me; it's just more of that phantom build diversity that DDO suffers from - lots and lots of choices that are so bad they mostly remain unused.

This makes very little difference to me, but I would like to see the people who do these past lives to be adequately rewarded for their effort, not over-rewarded or under-rewarded.

Thanks.

The pl benefits definately do look awfully weak. As a player with a ton more lives to grind i can't see myself doing 3 of these unless i had every other past life in the game.

[Fivetigers33]

So where's the Charisma to hit option? Seems like a missed opportunity.

[adrian69]

The pl benefits definately do look awfully weak. As a player with a ton more lives to grind i can't see myself doing 3 of these unless i had every other past life in the game.

Sorry, but I don't see a +3 to reflex saves as weak when reflex saves keep you from getting annihilated by spell damage. It can be less useful for us who already know how to stack it up at cap. I'm not too bothered by it.

The run speed though I'm conflicted over since I'm too lazy to farm a Quiver of Alacrity. However, I have 25% clickies at level for 25 minutes, so isn't really useful. I'd rather see a befuff/debuff action, such as if you were hit and slowed by 50%, the ability, if already on, wouldn't slow you down by 20% instead. I'd settle for 5/10/15%. That would be useful for many in certain raids and quests.

[LeoLionxxx]

Will the Fiddle only be able to be used by this Iconic Tiefling?

[Fezz1k]

I think the point of the toggle is to provide a viable alternative to Quiver of Alacrity. Also, it's a toggle. If it isn't super useful for your build or gear, you can always use one of the other Iconic Past life toggles, instead.

Agreed. While I have quivers, if I didn't (and many people don't), I'd use this every life until I could get to 30% with other gear. That seems pretty good - situational, but useful. I kind of like the idea of having racial toggles that are useful for a while, but are eventually outgunned by others rather than just "this is the one I use this life".

[SerPounce]

I love the theme!

Not getting the regular Tiefling's ability to remove fire resistance/immunity seems like a significant drawback. Fire is such a limited element without that.

Instead of a "chance to blind," what if obscuring darkness made all attacks sneak attacks like sleet storm does? An unspecified "chance" to do something is hard to work with unless it's on something you're going to be doing a lot of anyway (like on hit).

RE: past life
+1 reflex doesn't sound sexy, but anything that affects a d20 roll is good stuff.
I have quivers so I wouldn't use the active, but if I didn't I could see it being an attractive option. Expeditious retreat clickies are a PitA in any quest with dispells, which is a lot of the older quests. Not useful in epics, but a lot of the game is in heroics still with racial PLs. It would be great if something else was included like immunity to different kinds of slowing by tier, or even +1/2/3 max dex bonus.

Agreed. While I have quivers, if I didn't (and many people don't), I'd use this every life until I could get to 30% with other gear. That seems pretty good - situational, but useful. I kind of like the idea of having racial toggles that are useful for a while, but are eventually outgunned by others rather than just "this is the one I use this life".

Agreed. Too often I set up all my epic/iconic toggles before I run my first quest and never touch them again.

[Hjarki]

- Charm Hearts. The question is what is subject to this effect. If it’s “just things you could normally Fascinate”, it’s ok. If it’s “things you could Fascinate because you took a lot of Spellsinger core abilities”, it’s significantly better. If it’s “everything”, then it’s pretty solid.

- Grand Chord Works. This is nice, but Bards already have a (better) way to render something helpless (Frozen Fury).

- Sonic damage cores. They average out to total of 4.75 Sonic damage per attack. On top of your Resonant Arms, that would be about 12 Sonic damage per attack on a pure Swashbuckler. With 600 Sonic Spellpower, you’d be dealing about 100 Sonic damage per attack. Scion would add another 147. Harmonic Resonance would bring that up to 370 or so. However, it’s worth noting that virtually all of that is from things Bards can do now.

- Obscuring Darkness. The relatively long cooldown is a bit worrisome, although less so the more difficult the content. The fact that it’s likely you’re suffering the miss penalty - and all those archers outside the cloud aren’t - is what worries me more.

- Magic of Melodies. If this was +20 caster level/max caster level, I might be tempted to cast a Sonic spell for non-CC purposes. But only tempted. Sonic spells are just so ridiculously bad at dealing damage that this sort of benefit is laughable. How about something like “You have a chance equal to your Doublestrike to cast your Sonic spells twice”? Bards still wouldn’t be able to do particularly good damage with Sonic spells, but at least their Soundbursts, Sonic Blasts and Greater Shouts would be harder to save against.

- Traditionalist Caster. This bears mentioning because Bards are one of the few classes that never has any reason to use either Staves or Orbs. It’s like when they make Sonic-based Clubs. Who exactly are they making those for? For that matter, this would be a great opportunity to have an ability like “You treat Clubs as Light Maces” to save us all the trouble of having to delete Lilting Song when it drops.

Overall, I think there are some nice things here, but I’m not seeing this as a particularly attractive racial choice. It has some nice options, but there’s nothing that address fundamental problems with the Bard. Even when you start looking beyond Bards, you’re not really getting much. This is probably better for Favored Souls than Bards. They get some bonus Fire spellpower and Obscuring Darkness seems useful for a pure caster (especially one who can’t cast Displacement). The only concern is the Perform checks - non-Bards are at -12 vs. Bards. Maybe something like 14/6 Favored Soul/Bard would work. You can hide out in your cloud, your DCs are equivalent/better than a full-fledged AoV and you can toss around Flesh to Stone and Mass Hold Monster.

[Sho-sa]

Does the Fiddle play, "The Devil Went Down to Georgia?"

[Propane]

[B]

Currently Known Bugs
[LIST][*]There are some work in progress animation issues scattered amongst the various weapon styles for male and female. If you find them, please let us know.
]

When feather falling the weapon rotates down in to a knife fighter position

[spyder7723]

Sorry, but I don't see a +3 to reflex saves as weak when reflex saves keep you from getting annihilated by spell damage. It can be less useful for us who already know how to stack it up at cap. I'm not too bothered by it.

But by the time you run 3 lives 15 to 30 you will aquire that knowledge of how to stack it at cap.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not ranting we need better. I'm just saying compared to other benefits this one feels awfully weak, so will be at/near the buttom of the list when choosing what the next life will be.

[Aelonwy]

Iconic Female Tiefling in her duds:





For people that can't get on Lammania

[Aelonwy]

The Tiefling iconic race, the Scoundrel, is a melee focused Bard with an emphasis on Sonic and Fire damage. In addition to a different darkness specialization path than the heroic Tiefling race, the Tiefling Scoundrel iconic also features their own unique animations for Bardic Music that revolve around their Fiddle.

I just want you to know that I created an Iconic Tiefling and she did not receive a fiddle upon reaching 15th level. Also and this may or may not be intended but while she has the iconic equipment, she has no iconic cosmetics that usually come with an iconic so that they can continue to look iconic even when their equipment changes.

Image of everything in her inventory: