U41.4 Preview 1: Inquisitive Universal Enhancement Tree

[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 Inquisitive Universal Enhancement Tree 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.

It bears mentioning that in order to use the "dual crossbow" weapon style you will need to purchase the enhancement "Dual Shooter" (bottom left of tier 1 Inquisitive) and then equip a single light or heavy (non-repeating) crossbow in your main hand.

Description
The Inquisitive Universal Enhancement Tree is a new Universal Enhancement Tree coming soon. Based on the Master Inquisitive prestige class in the 3.5e Eberron Campaign Setting, Inquisitives are investigators who specialize in solving mysteries and shedding light on the darkest secrets. In DDO, those who use the Inquisitive Universal Enhancement tree will gain skills that focus on Diplomacy, Law/Chaos damage, finding hidden things, and a new Dual-Crossbow combat style.

In the same way that Vistani Knife Fighter has a Tier 1 enhancement that changes your combat style, Inquisitive has a Tier 1 enhancement that changes the way Light and Heavy (non-repeating) Crossbows are used. With this enhancement, any Light or Heavy (non-repeating) Crossbow you equip splits into two smaller hand-crossbows in your hands, each firing a shot every time you attack. Both of these shots use the stats of your single (equipped) Crossbow. You'll notice there's one such new crossbow in this year's Anniversary event; this might be a good time to stock up!

With a fairly versatile set of options, the Inquisitive Universal Enhancement Tree ought to open interesting new builds for most of DDO's classes; get ready to hit the streets of Sharn and solve some mysteries!

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

Enhancement Tree

• Cores
  
  1. Inquisitive +1 to Attack with all weapons. +1 to Diplomacy, Intimidate, and Bluff.
  2. Hit the Streets You gain an additional copy of Diplomacy on a separate cooldown timer. This timer is shared with Half-Elven Social Grace's Diplomacy. 1 Minute Cooldown. Passive: +2% Dodge. +3 Diplomacy skill, if you are a Half-Elf, this bonus is instead +10.
  3. Mind like Iron +3 to Will Saving Throws. You no longer automatically fail Saving Throws for Fear, Enchantment, or Illusion effects on a Natural 1. You will automatically perform a Search check to locate traps and secret doors when you are in range to Spot them, although this Search check occurs at a -4 penalty. In addition, you gain +2 Damage dice with Law on your Side.
  4. True Seeing You permanently gain the effects of the True Seeing spell. You gain +1 Competence Bonus to Critical Threat Range and Multiplier with Light and Heavy (non-repeating) Crossbows. In addition, you gain +2 Damage dice with Law on your Side.
  5. Undaunted +10 Ranged Power, +3 to all Saving Throws, +4 to the Max Dex Bonus of equipped armor. You gain the Slippery Mind feat (You can wriggle free from magical effects that would otherwise control or compel you. You gain a second saving throw versus enchantments.). In addition, you gain +2 Damage dice with Law on your Side.
  6. Master Inquisitive +2 to all Ability Scores. +10 Ranged Power. While wielding a Light or Heavy (non-repeating) Crossbow, your Vorpal hits will knock down targets hit on a natural 20 + confirmation for 6 seconds without a saving throw, as a Great Crossbow. In addition, you gain +3 Damage dice with Law on your Side.
  Tier 1
  • Dual Shooter While you have a Light or Heavy (non-repeating) Crossbow equipped, you instead fight with a Hand Crossbow in each hand, with each mimicking the damage and effects of your equipped Crossbow. +1 to Attack and Damage with Light and Heavy (non-repeating) crossbows.
  • Eye for Accuracy 1/2/3 to Attack with weapons.
  • Conjure Bolts SLA: Conjures a stack of 1000 bolts for use with a crossbow. These bolts have a +1 enhancement bonus. These bolts dissolve into nothingness after logout. 30/20/10 SP.
  • Law on your Side Toggle: Your Light and Heavy (non-repeating) Crossbow attacks deal 1d8 Law damage on hit to non-Lawful creatures, scaling with 200% Ranged Power. Lawful creatures take 1d4 Law damage, scaling with 200% Ranged Power.
  • Inquisitive Skills +1/2/3 to Diplomacy, Intimidate, and Bluff. Rank 3: +1 to Will Sav
  Tier 2
  • Crossbow Adept +1 to Attack and +2 to Damage with Light and Heavy (non-repeating) Crossbows
  • 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.
  • Observation When you use Diplomacy on a enemy, you gain one stack of Observation (+2 to Armor Class, +2 to PRR, +2 to MRR). Each stack lasts for 12 seconds before being removed. This stacks up to 5 times.
  • Improved Law +2 Damage dice with Law on your Side
  • Action Boost: Skills Activate to gain a +2/4/6 Action Boost bonus to all skills for 20 seconds. Cooldown: 30 seconds.
  Tier 3
  • Crossbow Adept +1 to Attack and +1 to Damage with Light and Heavy (non-repeating) Crossbows
  • First Things First Multiselector. Choose one of:
    
    • Shoot First: Bow or Crossbow Attack: +3[W] damage. On successful damage, this causes your opponent to take a stack of Shot Wound. The Shot Wound effect can stack up to 5 times. (Cooldown: 6 seconds) Note: Each stack of Shot Wound deals 1d6 damage per Character Level every 2 seconds for 12 seconds. This damage scales with 200% Ranged Power.
    • Ask Questions First: Activate this skill to gain +20 to Diplomacy and a 10% reduction in the cooldown time of Social Skills for 60 seconds. When you use Diplomacy on a enemy while this is active, you gain a stack of Preparation (+2% Dodge that ignores Dodge Cap). Each stack of Preparation lasts 12 seconds, and acquiring a new stack resets the duration. Preparation can stack up to 5 times. (Cooldown: 2 minutes).
  • Improved Observation Each stack of Observation now also grants you 5% Fortification Bypass.
  • Stop in the Name Active: Targeted enemy must save (DC Diplomacy+d20 vs. Will) or be Dazed for 10 seconds. Daze is removed on hit. Bosses are immune to Daze. 18 second cooldown.
  • Ability Score Choose an ability to improve:
    
    • +1 Strength
    • +1 Dexterity
    • +1 Constitution
    • +1 Intelligence
    • +1 Wisdom
    • +1 Charisma
  Tier 4
  • Crossbow Adept +1 to Attack and +2 to Damage with Light and Heavy (non-repeating) Crossbows
  • Later Things Later Multiselector. Choose one of:
    
    • Ask Questions Later: Requires Shoot First. When you use Diplomacy on enemies who have at least one stack of Shot Wound, they take a Crushing Despair effect for 30 seconds.
    • Shoot Later: Requires Ask Questions First. You must have at least one stack of Preparation to use this attack. Bow or Crossbow Attack: +5[w]. This attack has +2 Critical Threat Range and Multiplier. Cooldown: 15 seconds.
  • Inquisition Multiselector. Choose one of:
    
    • Divine Inquisition: You count Light and Heavy (non-repeating) Crossbows as Favored Weapons, regardless of your Deity.
    • Arcane Inquisition: You gain +15 Universal Spell Power while holding a Light or Heavy (non-repeating) Crossbow.
    • Martial Inquisition: +5% Doubleshot with Light and Heavy (non-repeating) Crossbows.
    • Dashing Inquisition: You can Swashbuckle while wielding a Light (non-repeating) Crossbow.
  • Greater Law +2 Damage dice with Law on your Side.
  • Ability Score Choose an ability to improve:
    
    • +1 Strength
    • +1 Dexterity
    • +1 Constitution
    • +1 Intelligence
    • +1 Wisdom
    • +1 Charisma
  Tier 5
  • No Holds Barred Action Boost: You may activate this ability to enchant your Light or Heavy (non-repeating) crossbow to instantly reload itself for 18 seconds. (Cooldown: 30 seconds. ) This shares charges and a cooldown with Endless Fusilade. If you also have Endless Fusilade, you gain +10 Ranged Power while No Holds Barred is active. Passive: +5 Ranged Power, +10% Doubleshot.
  • Arresting Assault All nearby enemies take -10 Melee, Ranged, and Spell Power for 20 seconds and 5 stacks of Vulnerability. In addition, nearby enemies must save (DC Diplomacy+d20 vs. Will) or be subjected to a 10-second Daze. (Bosses are immune to the Daze, but not the Power reduction or Vulnerability). Daze is removed on hit. 1 minute cooldown."
  • Improved Uncanny Dodge: Grants the Improved Uncanny Dodge feat. Activate that ability to gain a temporary 50% Ddge bonus and a +6 Reflex Save bonus. That feat also grants you a 1% passive bonus to Dodge at levels 4, 6, 8, 12, 16, 20.
  • Inquisitor's Path Multiselector. Choose one of:
    
    • Optimistic: +2 Damage Dice with Law on your Side. +10 Ranged Power, +30% Alacrity with non-Repeating Crossbows.
    • Jaded: Your damage dice with Law on your Side are now d8s for all enemies, regardless of alignment. +10 Ranged Power, +30% Alacrity with non-Repeating Crossbows.
    • Vigalante: +1 Damage Dice with Law on your Side. Damage from Law on your Side is now Chaos damage, with non-Chaotic creatures taking d8s of damage, and Chaotic creatures taking d4s of damage. +10 Ranged Power, +30% Alacrity with non-Repeating Crossbows.
  • Diplomatic Immunity Toggle: While active, your attacks with Light and Heavy (non-repeating) Crossbows have a chance to automatically trigger Diplomacy around you.

Currently Known Bugs

• There are some work in progress animation issues scattered amongst the various races and genders. If you find them, please let us know.
• "Shoot First" tooltip is a string table error.
• "Shoot Later" tooltip is a string table error.
• Glamering does not currently affect Dual-Crossbow appearances.

[GeoffWatson]

Does Dual Shooter work with a Runearm?

[Cocomajobo]

Does Dual Shooter work with a Runearm?

Yes. It looks a little wonky, admittedly, but it functions.

[R1ncewind]

Dashing Inquisition: You can Swashbuckle while wielding a Light (non-repeating) Crossbow.

How does this works? do you get the benefits of Swashbuckle? like extra crit chance and multiplier etc? could you explain plz :S

[Lencrennis]

Hello, Coco!

What can you tell me about doubleshot in relation to these crossbows? Is it halved to follow the division of repeating crossbows, or is it 100% effective in each hand?

[Lencrennis]

Dashing Inquisition: You can Swashbuckle while wielding a Light (non-repeating) Crossbow.

How does this works? do you get the benefits of Swashbuckle? like extra crit chance and multiplier etc? could you explain plz :S

Oh, wow. Yeah, that's really weird. So the item splits in two, but you're still swashbuckling? Could be very good with the rune arm scaling sonic damage thing. Bard/arti/ranger might be the way to do this given the best part of mechanic is being farmed out and the second best part is for great crossbows, anyway.

[Steelstar]

Hello, Coco!

What can you tell me about doubleshot in relation to these crossbows? Is it halved to follow the division of repeating crossbows, or is it 100% effective in each hand?

For the moment (while we are still looking at balance), it is 100% effective in each hand.

[Steelstar]

Dashing Inquisition: You can Swashbuckle while wielding a Light (non-repeating) Crossbow.

How does this works? do you get the benefits of Swashbuckle? like extra crit chance and multiplier etc? could you explain plz :S

Much like how you can swashbuckle with scimitars if you have the relevant enhancement to make them light, Swashbuckling itself won't grant extra crit to the light crossbows. However, you can get similar crit bonuses out of the Inquisitive tree itself. What the ability lets you do is stay in the Swashbuckling stance while using light crossbows, gaining use of its defensive abilities and other "while Swashbuckling" attacks/bonuses.

[Memnir]

Neat! A Prestige Class from the original Eberron sourcebook. I'm not sure about the implementation, but glad to see it nonetheless.


...edit.
And I guess this explains the new crossbow from the Anniversary.

[Lencrennis]

For the moment (while we are still looking at balance), it is 100% effective in each hand.

I can't blame that disclaimer, and back of the envelope math makes me feel that making it 50% effective is going to be pretty near required. (Heroic's still in trouble, of course.) Even at 50% effective, you're looking at 200% on the great crossbows to even out the rate of fire, and the style firing so early allows some unparalleled build flexibility in the ranged arena. Even shuricannons don't get their trick so early.

I like this, but am scared of it.

[C-Dog]

Love crossbows, glad the light/heavies are getting some love!

How to Access
You can access the Inquisitive Universal Enhancement Tree on the Preview server by speaking to Lord Poincelot...

How will we access it in-game, once it goes live? I assume a DDO Store purchase - do we have a ballpark price? And/or is there any plan to earn via Favor?

[GramercyRiff]

It all depends how I could look doing this stuff.

I'm not sure how Diplomacy makes sense, but I do like that a skill is heavily involved in the tree. A detective type should be using skills.

I do question trees called Universal, yet they limit you to very specific weapons.

I also see how this tree could be fun so at first look I like it. Does it get me to buy Sharn? I'm not sure. I'd have to see the rest of the content. It has me intrigued, I'll say that.

[JOTMON]

Observation When you use Diplomacy on a enemy, you gain one stack of Observation (+2 to Armor Class, +2 to PRR, +2 to MRR). Each stack lasts for 12 seconds before being removed. This stacks up to 5 times.

Firstly.. when you diplo... +2ac/prr/mrr.. meh..


Secondly Why bother with 5 stacks with a 12 second duration .. Diplo has a 15 second cooldown making this not very useful.
Core 2: Hit the Streets You gain an additional copy of Diplomacy on a separate cooldown timer. This timer is shared with Half-Elven Social Grace's Diplomacy. 1 Minute Cooldown.
~The one minute cooldown doesn't help generate stacks..
~Even with the T3 a 10% reduction in the cooldown time of Social Skills for 60 seconds, that only shaves off 1.5 seconds

How is the player supposed to generate stacks..

I suppose if you are relying on
T5: Diplomatic Immunity Toggle: While active, your attacks with Light and Heavy (non-repeating) Crossbows have a chance to automatically trigger Diplomacy around you.

at which point it might become useful depending on what the proc chance is.. but that s a long way to go with a useless clicky from T2 to T5 to maybe generate stacks.


Would like to see a better duration/cooldown adjustment.. and make this vulnerability instead of ac/prr/mrr for a ranged toon..

[askrj1]

I can't blame that disclaimer, and back of the envelope math makes me feel that making it 50% effective is going to be pretty near required. (Heroic's still in trouble, of course.) Even at 50% effective, you're looking at 200% on the great crossbows to even out the rate of fire, and the style firing so early allows some unparalleled build flexibility in the ranged arena. Even shuricannons don't get their trick so early.

I like this, but am scared of it.

To be fair with the (current) selection GXBs still have an advantage of crit range and base damage. If comparing the complete tree they're also down on 1 multiplier and the extra [w] GXBs get on top of their larger dice. And expanded vorpal. Also does not gain in-tree mod-damage, which you could have skipped on Harper with Mechanic.

Haven't gone on Lama to check how it actually fires though, so I'll have to get back after checking on the actual RoF and interaction with fusilade/no holds barred.

[lyrecono]

Can you devs put this kind of effort into a 2hf tree? you know, amp up the suitability and dps to the same level as casters and ranged toons?

[SerPounce]

What a neat idea! I was wondering how a detective type tree was going to work. looking forward to seeing how it plays.

Yes. It looks a little wonky, admittedly, but it functions.

Any chance of that getting some art love? It's probably going to be a really common choice if they work together.

[Steelstar]

Any chance of that getting some art love? It's probably going to be a really common choice if they work together.

It's on the polish list! Just didn't make it for Preview #1.

[Hjarki]

In terms of what to build around this, the way I see it:

- Deepwood Stalker. A non-starter since Improved Weapon Finesse doesn't work with Crossbows. That means you're stuck trying to justify Killer over Endless Fusilade/Agility Engine/Extra Action Boost.

- Mechanic. The only reason to go with Mechanic is for T5. However, T5 Mechanic means no T5 Inquisitive, so you're stuck with T4 Battle Engineer. You don't have enough AP left over to get Inquisitive Core #4 for the critical threat/multiplier. So no go here.

- Swashbuckler. Ranged Coup de Grace is one of the great "discovered checks" in DDO - an awesomely powerful ability that just doesn't have the supporting abilities it needs to work. However, unless you're willing to utterly cripple your damage to pull it off, it ain't happening. The 10 Doublestrike from Dashing Scoundrel is one of the cheapest roads to early Doublestrike, but it's competing against T4 Battle Engineer - which brings the same Doublestrike, +10 Melee Power (from Endless Fusilade) and 3 extra action boosts. Unless you've got a really great use for 10 AP, I'm not seeing taking Swashbuckler over Battle Engineer.

- Artificer. 4 levels of Artificer (extra action boosts, Endless Fusilade and +10 Doubleshot from Rune-arm) seems the most obvious road. You're pretty much done with AP once you take Battle Engineer, Inquisitive and Harper, though. In theory, you could just take your existing 10/6/4 Great Crossbow build, ditch the Fighter levels and go with that.

My personal choice? Aasimar (16), Battle Engineer (27), Inquisitive (~35). On a 14/4/2 Favored Soul/Artificer/Rogue build. You lose the trance and the Inquisitive capstone in exchange for stacking Vulnerability (remember, top end Heavy/Light Crossbows are virtually non-existent and certainly don't have Fetters of Reality), racial Lay on Hands and a variety of spells (including Divine Power). However, I don't expect to see anyone playing it.

[SerPounce]

It's on the polish list! Just didn't make it for Preview #1.

Awesome! My arty can't wait, but style is of the upmost importance for her

[GeoffWatson]

I can't blame that disclaimer, and back of the envelope math makes me feel that making it 50% effective is going to be pretty near required. (Heroic's still in trouble, of course.) Even at 50% effective, you're looking at 200% on the great crossbows to even out the rate of fire, and the style firing so early allows some unparalleled build flexibility in the ranged arena. Even shuricannons don't get their trick so early.

I like this, but am scared of it.

Two shots is well behind a repeaters three shots unless you have 100% doublestrike; Great Crossbows have much higher base damage and criticals.