18/2 Ranger/Barbarian - Great build for leveling - Solid build at cap

[Thrudh]

Edit: This thread was started to show a tempest build that works for a semi-casual player. Good enough to solo R2-R4, and contribute in groups in R5-R10.

Any race will work (although a Dex-based race is best). No racial AP is required. The more reaper AP the better, but 17 or so reaper AP puts you a good spot. Everything after that is bonus. Gear is pretty easily obtained. All quest and Cannith-crafted. Raid weapons, of course, are highly recommended. As a dagger build, my guy uses Pain and Suffering.


18/2 Ranger/Barbarian

This is a dagger build (note you can use a dagger in your main hand, and a rapier or shortsword in your off-hand).

But this will work with any Dex-based weapon...

I was playing around with Vistani when it first came out with morninglord daggers, and liked it a lot, and I was lucky enough to get Pain and Suffering raid daggers, so I'm still currently a dagger build. I finally got Flow from the Strahd raid, but I've kept using Pain, and put Flow in my off-hand. This is a very good combo.

This build could definitely be used with rapiers or other light weapons instead of daggers. It would give you 13 extra AP that you wouldn't have to use in Vistani. (Probably should spend at least 8 in Harper for Know the Angles)

2 Barbarian gives you 10% speed, access to Sprint Boost, Rage (for 1000 temp hp), and Blood Tribute (150 temp hp in heroics, 400 temp hp at cap - this is HUGE while leveling in reaper, and still decent at cap)

Pure Tempest would give you more DPS at cap, but less defense. Both are solid choices.

I like to use Rage and a sentient weapon with Blood Feast for 1000 temp hp. Then I dismiss rage, drink a lesser restoration pot, apply displacement clickable, then charge in using Pain in one hand, and a LGS Legendary Affirmation rapier in the off-hand and Dire Charge, and then Dance of Death (to hit multiple mobs at once). Once I proc another 1000 temp hp, I switch back to Pain and Flow. The guard-breaking on Flow dazes a lot of mobs which means they can't attack for you for a second or two. I use a LGS Dust dagger and/or Suffering in my off-hand when fighting bosses or named monsters.

Save Meld into Darkness in case you get in trouble with too many mobs.

Free feats from Ranger:

• Bow Strength
• Rapid Shot
• Die Hard
• TWF, ITWF, GTWF
• Precise Shot
• Improved Precise Shot
• Manyshot
• Evasion

Free feats from Vistani

• Quick Draw
• Favored Enemy: Undead

Stats:

• STR 12
• DEX 20
• CON 14
• INT 11
• WIS 10
• CHA 11

Heroic Leveling:

• 1. Ranger - Weapon Finesse - Favored Enemy: Human
• 2. Barbarian
• 3. Barbarian - Precision (If you are an elf or halfling, get dragonmark here - both are useful during heroic leveling - swap back to Precision later)
• 4. Ranger
• 5. Ranger
• 6. Ranger - Maximize
• 7. Ranger - Favored Enemy: Giant
• 8. Ranger
• 9. Ranger - IC: Piercing
• 10. Ranger
• 11. Ranger
• 12. Ranger - Empower Healing - Favored Enemy: Evil Outsider
• 13. Ranger
• 14. Ranger
• 15. Ranger - Quicken
• 16. Ranger
• 17. Ranger - Favored Enemy: Construct
• 18. Ranger - IC: Ranged
• 19. Ranger
• 20. Ranger

Epic Leveling:

• 21 - Overwhelming Critical
• 24 - Rogue Past Life - +30 to hide 3 times/1 minute
• 26 - Perfect Two Weapon Fighting
• 27 - Epic Reflexes
• 28 - Doubleshot 10% or Tactician or Pierce Adamantium
• 29 - Dire Charge
• 30 - Blinding Speed and Scion of Ethereal Plane (Perm Blur, +4 to all skills, +1 sneak attack damage for every 3 points of hide)

All stat level ups into Dexterity.

Hide skill is around 165 at cap with Camouflage spell, high dex, maxed hide ranks, Shadow Form from Shadowdancer, etc. It's 195 when you activate the Rogue past-life. That's a TON of extra sneak attack damage. Exposing Strike (enhancement from Deepwood Sniper) lets you bluff a single target for 4 seconds every 6 seconds. This works on orange-names and bosses, so this is a lot of extra DPS. And a helpless mob (from Dire Charge or Balanced Attacks) also takes sneak attack damage.

Enhancements

• 38 points into Tempest (Dance of Death, Dual Perfection, Whirlwind,Many cuts)
• 21 points into Deepwood Sniper (for Improved Weapon Finesse and Exposing Strike, and +1 crit range)
• 8 points into Frenzied Berzerker (for Blood Tribute and Cracking Attack - 20% reduction on fort for 20 seconds)
• 13 points into Vistani (for free Quick Draw, 20% doublestrike from Rapid Slash, 5% doublestrike (main and off-hand) and +1(w) with daggers)

If you don't use daggers, put 10 points into Harper for Know the Angles and +1 Dex


Shadow Dancer Epic Destiny.

Shadow dancer for Shadow Form (25% incorporeal), Meld into Darkness (95% dodge for 15 seconds), and Grim Precision (15% fort bypass)

Twists

• Sense Weakness (Tier 4)
• Balanced Attacks (Tier 3)
• Extra Action Boost (Tier 1)
• Legendary Tactics (Tier 1)
• Rejuvenation Cocoon or Energy Sheath (Tier 1)

Doublestrike calculations:

• 9% 3 martial sphere Epic Past Lives
• 17% Cannith-crafted trinket
• 11% Legendary Hammerfist (Insight bonus)
• 5% Knife Specialist (Vistani enhancement)
• 5% Whirlwind (Tempest 18th level core enhancement)
• 5% Perfect Two-weapon fighting (Epic Destiny Feat)
• 15% Part of the Family Set
• 3% Shadow Training VI (from Shadowdancer ED)
• 3% Many Cuts

=73% passive

20% Rapid Slash (Vistani enhancement, active attack, 10 sec duration, 10 sec cooldown)

=93% sustained Doublestrike (since duration matches cooldown, better than Killer from DWS) - very close to max 100% possible


Melee Power calculations:

• Shadowdancer cores - 60 MP
• Epic Power(10) - 30 MP
• Misc. Equip Mythic - 10 MP
• Sentient - 18 MP
• Legendary Part of the Family - 25 MP
• Many Cuts - Tempest enhancement
• Mysterious Remnant turn-in - 2 MP

=147 passive

+50 for Prowess MP boost when using an Action Boost
+1 in reaper


Racial Past Lives:

• 3 Halfling
• 3 Elf

Epic Past Lives:

• 7 Primal
• 4 Divine
• 4 Martial
• 3 Arcane

Heroic Past Lives:

• 3 Fighter
• 2 Ranger
• 1 Rogue
• 2 Paladin

Reaper AP:

• 40 currently - 34 is a sweet spot where one can get 4 extra Dex, 3 extra tactics, 4 extra CON, and 120 hp from the cores. But 14 is actually enough to at least get the +4 Dex, and +3 tactics.

Ability Stats:

Dex - 89

• 20 starting Dex
• 7 level ups
• 8 tome
• 21 item
• 10 Insight item
• 4 Quality item
• 1 exceptional
• 1 racial enhancement
• 3 ranger enhancements
• 2 Shadowdancer ED
• 1 reaper core
• 5 Filigree (requires 8 slots and 250 threads of fate so you can get prowess set, three +1 Dex Filigree, and a +2 Dex Filigree)
• 2 Guild ship
• 2 racial past-lives
• 2 profane

In reaper, add 3 more for 92.

So 92 Dex in reaper. Subtract 3 if a non Dex-based race (lose 2 starting points and 1 racial enhancement)

Can use Yugo pots and ability potions from remnant turn-ins for 4 more. So 96 sustainable (+43)


CON - 59

• 14 starting CON
• 8 tome
• 21 item
• 10 Insight item
• 1 exceptional
• 1 reaper core
• 2 Guild ship
• 2 Profane

In reaper, add 3 more to make it 62


Other Stats:

• Dire Charge Stun DC - 116 standing - in Reaper with Yugo Pots and ability pots that would be 123 DC
• PRR - 175
• MRR - 91
• Doublestrike - standing 93% (using daggers with Rapid Slash - 73% without Rapid Slash, but then Killer from DWS is an option, plus 30% Reaper DS boost - but 100% is the max)
• Melee Power - 147
• Reflex - 106 (120 in reaper with 9 reaper AP on Reflex save plus 7 extra Dex)
• AC - 133
• Dodge - 19% (27% in reaper once you spend 8 points on Dodge Reaper AP)
• Incorporeal - 30%
• Heal Amp - 125%
• Positive Spell Power - 432
• Hit points - 1786
• Hide around 165/195 boosted (depending on Dex)

Sharn End-game Gear

Part of the Family Set:
Armor: Legendary Wildcard: Fort 214% - PRR 54 - Heal Amp 85 - False Life 81 - Green slot (Spell Points 250)
Necklace: Legendary Family Recruit Sigil: True Seeing - Armor Piercing 33 - Deadly 17 - Relentless Fury - Yellow slot (Draconic Gem)
Gloves: Legendary Hammerfist: Insightful Doublestrike 11 - Seeker 21 - Insightful Deadly 8 - Cannith Combat Infusion - Blue slot (Armored Agility +2)

(Set gives +15 Doublestrike - 25 Artifact Melee Power - 15% Artifact damage vs Helpless - 10% Fort bypass)

Cloak: Legendary Cloak of the City's Champion: Parrying 10 - Insightful CON 10 - Quality PRR 13 - Green slot (Natural Armor +8)
Belt: Legendary Bronze Dragonscale Belt: CON 21 - Heal Amp 85 - Insightful False Life 40 - Lifesealed 50 - Blue slot (Protection +8)

Wrist: Legendary Hallowed Castigator: Devotion +214 - Healing Lore +31% - INS Sheltering +27 - Improved - Emp Heal - Green slot (Feather Fall)

Ring: Legendary Celestial Ruby Ring: INT 21 - Stunning 23 - Accuracy 33 - Ghostly - Green (+2 Festive INT)

Trinket: Cannith crafted: Doublestrike 17 - Dodge 15 - Insightful Stunning +8
Boots: Slaver crafted: Sheltering 45 (for the MRR) - Resistance 14 - Hide 22 - Quality DEX +4

Ring: Radiant Ring of Tael Valaestras: WIS 22 - Quality Accuracy 8 - Quality Deadly 5 - Law Absorption 31% - Green slot (STR +8) - Blue slot (Good Luck +2) - Yellow slot (Globe of Imperial Blood)
Head: Legendary Umber Brim: Insightful Accuracy 16 - Insightful Deception 8 - Profane well-rounded - Improved Quelling Strikes - Green slot (+2 Insight INT)
Goggles: Legendary Collective Sight: Dex 21 - Insight Dex 10 - Quality Resistance 4 - Blue slot

or replace the last 3 with

Ring: Sigil of the Triumvirate: DEX 22 - Insightful Accuracy 17 - Insightful Deadly 8 - Sonic Absorption 53% - Green slot (STR +8) - Blue slot (Good Luck +2) - Yellow slot (Globe of Imperial Blood)
Head: Legendary Executioner's Helm: Insightful Deception 7 - Quality CM 4 - Seeker 17 - Relentless Fury - Green slot (+2 Insight INT)
Goggles: Legendary Collective Sight: WIS 21 - Insight Dex 10 - Quality Resistance 4 - Blue slot


Ghostly
PRR 54
MRR 45 (from Sheltering)
Insightful Sheltering 27
Fort 214

Dex 22
Insight Dex 10
Qual Dex 4

CON 21
Insight CON 10
Qual CON 4 - missing

Profane 2

Heal Amp 85

Doublestrike 17
Insight Doublestrike 11

Deadly 17
Insight Deadly 8
Quality Deadly 5

Accuracy 33
Insight Accuracy 16
Quality Accuracy 8

Seeker 21
Insight Seeker 7
True Seeing

Deception 17 (on weapon)
Insight Deception 8
Improved Deception (on weapon)

Hide 22

Devotion 214
Healing Lore 31%

Resistance 14
Parrying 10

Dodge 15
Insight Dodge - missing
Quality Dodge - missing

False Life 81
Insight False Life 40
Vitality - missing

Blurry - missing

Stunning Blow 23
Insight Stun 8

Armor Piercing 33
Relentless Fury
Cannith Combat Infusion
Improved Quelling Strike

[Kutalp]

Nice build.

Only if Bows were equal to Great crossbows, a Strength based Bow/THF Rangebarian build would also be very tasty. (Frenzied/Stalker/Rogue splash ?)


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8de2W3rtZsA

[Kaboom2112]

[Thrudh]

Tempest and Vistani is a trap

I'd be willing to move away from daggers... It would be a solid choice to spend 10 points in Harper and 3 in Deepwood Sniper (for Killer to replace Rapid Slash - Killer not as good, but an acceptable substitute) instead of 13 in Vistani.

What's a good named rapier or shortsword that does a lot of DPS?

Pain and Suffering are a solid set of daggers... The +3[w] from the set and Vistani makes them competitive. Constricting Nightmare and Fetters of Unreality on the two items is pretty nice.

However, I finally got Flow, so that's a solid replacement for one hand. It actually does less damage than the daggers, but the Guard-breaking is great for defense against trash.

What dex-based weapon to put in the other hand? I got a dust dagger and Pain and Suffering for bosses, but what about trash?

What would you suggest for a pair of weapons for a dex-based tempest?

[Kaboom2112]

What would you suggest for a pair of weapons for a dex-based tempest?

Look at the Scimitars available, don't forget that Tempest get them "finesse" weapons

[Thrudh]

Look at the Scimitars available, don't forget that Tempest get them "finesse" weapons

Those are solid 7[w] weapons (my daggers, with Vistani, are 8[w] weapons), and luckily, most of them have Keen (since I don't have Improved Critical: Slashing)

Definitely will slowly keep working on the raids to pick them up.

[Grailhawk]

Shadow Dancer Epic Destiny.

Doublestrike calculations:

• 9% 3 martial sphere Epic Past Lives
• 17% Cannith-crafted trinket
• 11% Legendary Hammerfist (Insight bonus)
• 5% Knife Specialist (Vistani enhancement)
• 5% Whirlwind (Tempest 18th level core enhancement)
• 5% Perfect Two-weapon fighting (Epic Destiny Feat)
• 15% Part of the Family Set

=67% passive (but my character sheet says 70.58% - not sure where I'm getting the extra 3.58%)

Shadow Training IV

Shadow Training IV: Active Ability: (Cooldown: 1 minute) activate this ability to use Shadow Walk up to 5 times per rest. Also, while using weapons that qualify for Weapon Finesse, you gain 3% profane bonus to your chance to doublestrike. This doublestrike bonus applies to attacks made by a dagger, handaxe, kama, kukri, light hammer, light mace, light pick, rapier, shortsword, sickle, when unarmed or in druid animal form.

[Thrudh]

Shadow Training IV

Ah, very cool... many thanks!

Shadow Training IV: Active Ability: (Cooldown: 1 minute) activate this ability to use Shadow Walk up to 5 times per rest. Also, while using weapons that qualify for Weapon Finesse, you gain 3% profane bonus to your chance to doublestrike. This doublestrike bonus applies to attacks made by a dagger, handaxe, kama, kukri, light hammer, light mace, light pick, rapier, shortsword, sickle, when unarmed or in druid animal form.

I note scimitar isn't in that list...

[Kutalp]

Harper is a wise choice to spend AP on. Be it rogue splash or wizard or another multiclass. Int to hit and damage skill boost. Good type damage vs evil. Seems one of the top versatile trees.

Vistani's immuntiy to level drain and anti evil/undead, Deflect arrows and double hit chance is not bad. To get T5 and Core 41 points is required and build ends up pure knife fighter. (Rogue8/barb6/fighter6 focused at max avoidance so that works neat with that)

Anyhow, may be a bit out of original subject but I am curious to know how would a max wisdom/constitution Falconer/Ranger/Barbarian work.


PS: ( It would be awesome for a THF Rogue/Barb/Fighter build if Occult slayer tree gave +6 to Reflex saves and against traps for 6AP-instead of only +2 to reflex saves for 6AP ; compareable to allready existing Tempest tree enhancement +3 to reflex saves and +3 vs traps for 3AP. Light armored Dodgebarians without must have many rogue or ranger levels would be alot of fun )