Halfling Returning Dagger Build F2P

[brookslaurents]

Hi! So I'm a F2P first-lifer, and I love the idea of a max-dex, super-sneaky halfling maxing out sneak attack, ranged feats, and returning thrown weapons (go dagger for the extra crit chance). I started with rogue, and am upping sneak attack stuff so far. I basically send my hireling into the fray to draw out the mobs, flank and start throwing daggers into them. I'm doing pretty well at L4, but am wondering where to go. Max Rogue? 12 Rogue, 8 fighter? Needs to be a stand-alone build as f2p teaming is hard to find.

Thanks!

[unbongwah]

Throwing daggers is...not good, especially if you don't own Vistani Knife Fighter tree. And even then, still not good, just...less bad. Something combining Swashbuckler (bard) with Deepwood Stalker (ranger) plus VKF might be okay. If you want a ranged rogue, you really really ought to be looking at Mechanics who use crossbows.

OTOH, F2P DEX Assassin is actually a really straightforward build and pretty strong DPS, if a bit squishy and harder to solo than other melee classes.

Half-Pint Assassin (F2P)
Rogue 20
True Neutral Halfling


Stats
               28pt     32pt     Level Up
               ----     ----     --------
Strength         8        8       4: DEX
Dexterity       20       20       8: DEX
Constitution    14       16      12: DEX
Intelligence    12       12      16: DEX
Wisdom           8        8      20: DEX
Charisma         8        8      24: DEX
                                 28: DEX

Skills
          1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
         ------------------------------------------------------------
Open Lo   4  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  23
Search    4  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  23
Spot      4  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  23
Bluff     4  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  23
Hide      4  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  23
Move Si   4  1  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
Concent   2     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     11
Heal      1  1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1     1  11
Balance   1                                                            1
Tumble    1                                                            1
         ------------------------------------------------------------
         36  9  9  9  9  9  9  9  9  9  9  9  9  9  9  9  9  9  9  9


Feats

 1        : Two Weapon Fighting
 3        : Precision
 6        : Least Dragonmark: Healing OR Two Weapon Defense
 9        : Improved Two Weapon Fighting
12        : Improved Critical: Piercing
15        : Greater Two Weapon Fighting
18        : Weapon Finesse OR Hamstring
21 Epic   : Improved Sneak Attack
24 Epic   : Overwhelming Critical
26 Destiny: Perfect Two Weapon Fighting
27 Epic   : Epic Damage Reduction
28 Destiny: First Blood OR Elusive Target
29 Destiny: Dire Charge OR Embodiment of Law OR Deific Warding
30 Epic   : Epic Reflexes OR Watchful Eye
30 Legend : Scion of: Ethereal Plane

10 Rogue  : Opportunist
13 Rogue  : Improved Evasion
16 Rogue  : Defensive Roll
19 Rogue  : Crippling Strike


Enhancements (80 AP)

Assassin (43 AP)
Knife in the Darkness, Dagger in the Back, Assassin's Trick, Nimbleness, Lethality, Deadly Shadow
Poison Strikes: Heartseeker, Sneak Attack Training, Stealthy III
Venomed Blades III, Sneak Attack Training, Damage Boost III
Sneak Attack Training
Execute, Killer III, Weakening Strikes, Sneak Attack Training
Assassinate, Measure the Foe III, Deadly Strikes, Knife Specialization, Light Armor Mastery III

Thief-Acrobat (21 AP)
Staff Control, Stick Fighting, Tumbler, Kip Up
Sly Flourish III, Fast Movement
Subtlety I, Haste Boost III
Shadow Dodge III, Dexterity

Halfling (16 AP)
Halfling Luck, Dexterity, Halfling Luck II
Jorasco Dragonmark Focus III, Cunning I
Lesser Dragonmark of Healing, Break out the Leeches, Halfling Guile
Greater Dragonmark of Healing, Halfling Guile
Halfling Guile

Leveling Guide
Ass0 Knife in the Darkness; Ass1 Stealthy I, II, III
Ass1 Sneak Attack Training; Ass2 Sneak Attack Training
Ass0 Dagger in the Back; Ass2 Damage Boost I, II, III
Ass3 Sneak Attack Training; Ass2 Venomed Blades I, II
Ass2 Venomed Blades III; Ass1 Poison Strikes: Heartseeker; Hlf0 Halfling Luck
Ass0 Assassin's Trick; Ass4 Killer I, II, III
Hlf1 Jorasco Dragonmark Focus I, II, III; Hlf1 Cunning I
Hlf2 Lesser Dragonmark of Healing; Hlf2 Break out the Leeches; TA0 Staff Control
TA1 Fast Movement; Hlf0 Dexterity
Hlf3 Greater Dragonmark of Healing; Ass4 Execute
Ass4 Weakening Strikes; Ass4 Sneak Attack Training
Ass0 Nimbleness; Ass5 Assassinate; Ass5 Knife Specialization
Ass5 Deadly Strikes; Ass5 Measure the Foe I, II
Ass5 Measure the Foe III; Ass5 Light Armor Mastery I, II, III
Hlf2 Halfling Guile; Hlf3 Halfling Guile; Hlf0 Halfling Luck II; Hlf4 Halfling Guile
TA1 Sly Flourish I, II, III; TA2 Subtlety I
TA2 Haste Boost I, II, III; TA0 Stick Fighting
Ass0 Lethality; TA0 Tumbler; TA3 Shadow Dodge I
TA3 Shadow Dodge II, III
Ass0 Deadly Shadow; TA3 Dexterity; TA0 Kip Up

If and when you unlock the Vistani tree, you can redistribute APs.

[Lauf]

Hi! So I'm a F2P first-lifer, and I love the idea of a max-dex, super-sneaky halfling maxing out sneak attack, ranged feats, and returning thrown weapons (go dagger for the extra crit chance). I started with rogue, and am upping sneak attack stuff so far. I basically send my hireling into the fray to draw out the mobs, flank and start throwing daggers into them. I'm doing pretty well at L4, but am wondering where to go. Max Rogue? 12 Rogue, 8 fighter? Needs to be a stand-alone build as f2p teaming is hard to find.

Thanks!

First of all, I'll start by saying Unbongwah gave you good advice on throwing dagger builds, I won't waste your time by repeating it.

I'll try and focus on your desire for a super-sneaky stand-alone soloing build, and say that super-sneaky doesn't really work, because most (90+%) of the quests require fighting multiple mobs (by require I mean force you to fight and kill them in order to advance), so sneaking is situational at best, and is more flavor than a viable playstyle, unless going assassin, and even then an assassin shines in a group, and not soloing.

I would recommend you try and make your soloing life easier by fitting in ways of dealing with multiple mobs and situations. IMO your best bet is splashing 6 levels of ranger, which will give you ranged feats (situational use when you don't want to melee) and free two weapon fighting and improved two weapon fighting feats.
additionally, you should go for deepwood stalker exposing strike enhancement (3rd core) which will allow you to sneak attack targets reliably.
I'd also add the improved feint feat (since most mandatory feats will be auto-granted by ranger), it will allow you even more sneak attacks.

If you've taken feats already which will be granted by ranger, you can swap one out using Lockania's marketplace quest: https://ddowiki.com/page/Lockania
you might want to consider picking up the Least Dragonmark, it works well for soloing on a first lifer, for those moments when your hireling is slow to respond.
it'll also allow you to get rid of negative levels.


That is not to say that a pure assassin isn't viable, it very much is. However it may require a higher skill level to solo on, while the ranger variant is fairly straight forward, resilient and versatile, which is what I usually look for on a soloing build.

Hope this helps, good luck!

[C-Dog]

Join Date
May 2018

Hi! So I'm a F2P first-lifer, and I love the idea of...

Welcome to DDO!

DDO could best be described as a new edition of D&D - any builds, any concepts, any characters that you've enjoyed via tabletop, pen-n-paper D&D may or may NOT work in DDO. However, quite often, you can duplicate the feel of such a character, but with a surprisingly different set of classes/etc.

And the "/etc." part is the important one - "enhancements" are what set DDO apart from other editions of D&D, and are at least as important as Feats and Class special abilities . Enhancements are like custom Prestige Class abilities, - and can make or break a build - you pick, you choose, you mix and match, et voila - le killer est ne.

I was right there with you when I first started - my first character was a favorite character I brought from tabletop, and insisted on recreating "faithfully", and it was a complete, utter fail. And I'm not alone, far from it.

So... shake off preconceptions of "thrown weapons" or "daggers" or this or that, and listen to what works in DDO (and accept what doesn't). DDO is a great game - just don't make the mistake of thinking you've played it before, not this exact version.

(& if you want, read my "Basics of DDO", link in bio)

An haff fun stohmin' da cassul!
o/