First Life Elf AA Favored Soul

[Riffolk]

Hey!

I'm pretty new to this so take it easy on me.

I've got a main working on other things and I wanted to make a build that functions as a good healer/support/cc'er to take to cap.
I don't have falconry for this guy, just trying to make it work as is.
This is my first ranged build so I'm confident I'll have missed things but I look forward to getting some feedback.

Things I was the least sure about:

Twists
Enhancement AP spending
Epic Feats
How effective cc's (paralyzing arrow, mass frog) would be through the leveling process.


[font=courier]
Character name: Riffrave
Classes: 20 Favored Soul, 10 Epic
Race: Elf · · · · · · · · ·Alignment: Neutral

· · ·Start Tome Final
Str:· · 10· · 0 · ·10 · · ·HP:· · · · 665 · · ·AC:· · 24
Dex:· · 18· · 3 · ·26 · · ·PRR: · · · ·13
Con:· · 14· · 0 · ·14 · · ·MRR: · · · · 0 · · ·+Healing Amp:· · 20
Int:· · ·8· · 0 · · 8 · · ·Dodge: · ·0/25 · · ·-Healing Amp:· · ·0
Wis:· · 16· · 0 · ·26 · · ·Fort:· · · ·0% · · ·Repair Amp:· · · ·0
Cha:· · ·8· · 0 · · 8 · · ·SR:· · · · · 0 · · ·BAB: · · · · · · 15
DR: 5\- · 10\Silver
Immunities: Sleep

Class and Feat Selection
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Level Class · · · · · ·Feats
1 · · Favored Soul(1) ·Standard: Point Blank Shot
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Follower of Faith: Follower of the Silver Flame
2 · · Favored Soul(2) ·Battle Feat: Knowledge of Battle
3 · · Favored Soul(3) ·Standard: Rapid Shot
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Child Of Faith: Child of the Silver Flame
4 · · Favored Soul(4) ·Wisdom: +1 Level up
5 · · Favored Soul(5) ·Energy Absorbance: Energy Absorption: Fire
6 · · Favored Soul(6) ·Standard: Precise Shot
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Deity: Silver Flame Exorcism
7 · · Favored Soul(7) ·Heart Feat: Stout of Heart
8 · · Favored Soul(8) ·Wisdom: +1 Level up
9 · · Favored Soul(9) ·Standard: Precision
10· · Favored Soul(10) Energy Absorbance: Energy Absorption: Electricity
11· · Favored Soul(11)
12· · Favored Soul(12) Standard: Improved Critical: Ranged Weapons
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Beloved Of Faith: Beloved of the Silver Flame
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Wisdom: +1 Level up
13· · Favored Soul(13)
14· · Favored Soul(14)
15· · Favored Soul(15) Standard: Quicken Spell
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Energy Absorbance: Empty Feat Slot
16· · Favored Soul(16) Wisdom: +1 Level up
17· · Favored Soul(17)
18· · Favored Soul(18) Standard: Improved Precise Shot
19· · Favored Soul(19)
20· · Favored Soul(20) Damage Reduction: Favored Soul of the Silver Flame Damage Reduction: Silver
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Wisdom: +1 Level up
21· · Epic(1) · · · · ·Epic Feat: Combat Archery
22· · Epic(2) · · · · ·
23· · Epic(3) · · · · ·
24· · Epic(4) · · · · ·Epic Feat: Overwhelming Critical
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Wisdom: +1 Level up
25· · Epic(5) · · · · ·
26· · Epic(6) · · · · ·Epic Destiny Feat: Pierce Adamantine
27· · Epic(7) · · · · ·Epic Feat: Epic Damage Reduction
28· · Epic(8) · · · · ·Epic Destiny Feat: Mass Frog
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Wisdom: +1 Level up
29· · Epic(9) · · · · ·Epic Destiny Feat: Doubleshot
30· · Epic(10)· · · · ·Epic Feat: Epic Fortitude
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Legendary: Scion of the Feywild



Enhancements: 80 APs
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Elf - Points spent: 16
1 Core ·(1) Accuracy I
2 Tier1 (2) Weapon Training I: Aerenal Weapon Training
3 Core ·(2) Dexterity I
4 Tier2 (2) Weapon Training II: Aerenal Weapon Training
5 Tier2 (2) Arcanum
6 Tier2 (1) Enchantment Lore
7 Tier2 (1) Enchantment Lore
8 Tier2 (1) Enchantment Lore
9 Tier3 (4) Arcane Archer
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Arcane Archer (Elf) - Points spent: 41
1 Core ·(1) rcane Archer (Elf)
2 Tier1 (2) Conjure Arrows
3 Tier1 (2) Elemental Arrows I: Corrosive Arrows
4 Core ·(1) Morphic Arrows
5 Tier2 (2) Elemental Arrows II: Elemental Damage
6 Tier2 (2) Force Arrows
7 Tier3 (2) Elemental Arrows III: Elemental Damage
8 Tier3 (2) Terror Arrows
9 Tier3 (2) Ability I: +1 Wisdom
10 Core ·(1) Metalline Arrows
11 Tier2 (1) Inferno Shot
12 Tier2 (2) Force Arrows
13 Tier2 (2) Force Arrows
14 Tier4 (1) Banishing Arrows
15 Tier4 (2) Paralyzing Arrows
16 Tier4 (2) Elemental Arrows IV: Elemental Damage
17 Tier4 (1) Smiting Arrows
18 Tier4 (2) Ability II: +1 Wisdom
19 Tier5 (2) Arrow of Slaying
20 Tier5 (2) Final Strike
21 Tier5 (1) Improved Elemental Arrows: Improved Elemental Arrows
22 Tier5 (2) Runebow
23 Core ·(1) Aligned Arrows
24 Core ·(1) Shadow Arrows
25 Tier3 (1) Soul Magic
26 Core ·(1) Master of Imbuement
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War Soul - Points spent: 23
1 Core ·(1) Smite Foe: Smite Foe (Ranged)
2 Tier1 (1) Divine Might: Divine Will
3 Tier1 (1) Divine Might: Divine Will
4 Tier1 (1) Divine Might: Divine Will
5 Tier1 (2) Righteous Weapons I
6 Tier2 (1) Action Boost Haste
7 Tier2 (1) Action Boost Haste
8 Tier2 (1) Action Boost Haste
9 Tier2 (2) Smite Weakness
10 Tier2 (2) Righteous Weapons II
11 Tier3 (2) Ability I: +1 Wisdom
12 Tier3 (2) Righteous Weapons III
13 Core ·(1) Resilience of Battle
14 Core ·(1) Sanctuary
15 Tier2 (1) Wall of Steel
16 Tier4 (1) Holy Striker: Holy Sniper
17 Tier4 (1) Holy Striker: Holy Sniper
18 Tier4 (1) Holy Striker: Holy Sniper
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Shiradi Champion - Points spent: 24
1 Core ·(0) Fey Favor
2 Core ·(0) Fey Visions
3 Core ·(0) Favorable Winds
4 Core ·(0) Sixth Sense
5 Core ·(0) Favorable Wind
6 Core ·(0) Fey Power
7 Tier1 (2) Ability I: +1 Wisdom
8 Tier1 (1) Stay Frosty
9 Tier1 (1) Stay Frosty
10 Tier2 (2) Prism
11 Tier2 (2) Ability II: +1 Wisdom
12 Tier2 (1) Pin
13 Tier3 (1) Otto's Whistler
14 Tier3 (2) Rainbow
15 Tier4 (2) Double Rainbow
16 Tier4 (2) Ability IV: +1 Wisdom
17 Tier5 (2) Stand and Deliver
18 Tier5 (1) Nerve Venom
19 Tier5 (1) Nerve Venom
20 Tier5 (1) Nerve Venom
21 Tier6 (1) Rain of Arrows
22 Tier6 (1) Hunt's End
23 Tier3 (1) Otto's Whistler


Twists of fate - 8 of 11 Fate points spent.
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Twist 1 - Tier 2: Twist slot empty
Twist 2 - Tier 1: Twist slot empty
Twist 3 - Tier 1: Twist slot empty
Twist 4 - Tier 0: Twist slot empty

Helpless Damage bonus: 50%
Ranged Power: 30.0
Doubleshot Chance: 40%


Arcane Archer (Elf): Terror Arrows Will vs 37 : 20 + Wis Mod(8) + Enchantment(9)
Arcane Archer (Elf): Banishing ArrowsWill vs 37 : 20 + Wis Mod(8) + Enchantment(9)
Arcane Archer (Elf): Paralyzing ArrowsWill vs 37 : 20 + Wis Mod(8) + Enchantment(9)
Arcane Archer (Elf): Smiting ArrowsWill vs 37 : 20 + Wis Mod(8) + Enchantment(9)
Silver Flame Exorcism · · · · · · ·Will vs 10 : 10 + Cha Mod(-1) + Cleric(0)
Mass Frog · · · · · · · · · · · · ·Fortitude vs 40 : 30 + Wis Mod(8) + Transmutation(2)
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[unbongwah]

I'll forewarn you that archery is probably the weakest ranged combat style right now so...well, try to keep your expectations modest, is what I'm saying. Especially compared to a FvS caster: once you've experienced the joys of Sunbolt SLA spam, it's hard to settle for a bow.

In terms of ranged feats, you forgot Manyshot. That's the only thing which gives you decent burst DPS as an archer so it should be taken ASAP (level 9 in this case).

You say you want a "good healer/support/cc'er" but you've invested virtually nothing into spellcasting. Quicken + Mass Frog isn't sufficient to make you good at any of those things. But as I'm sure you've noticed, this is a feat-starved build too, since almost all of them went to ranged DPS. Which means you should probably reconsider what your actual focus is. What you say you want in your OP doesn't match what your build can actually do well.

If you're going for the AA capstone, you don't need to stick with pure Favored Soul. That means you could splash for extra feats which you could really use or trap skills or whatever. Alternatively consider focusing on Warsoul instead of AA; I'm curious how that would turn out.

When Grace of Battle first got introduced, there were a number of Silver Flame monkcher builds posted. Monk 6 / FvS 12 got you Ten Thousand Stars + Heal spell so it was a decent combo for ranged DPS + healing. No clue how they keep up with the current meta, but something to consider.

[Riffolk]

This is exactly the kind of feedback I was hoping for, thanks master unbongwah.

I'm currently running a fire sorc main and I've heard that FVS casters feel similar (high sp, few spells, alotta spam).
I think my worry is that I want to be a solid contributor when I take a build to cap that isn't dead most of the time. I guess I've read too many posts from forumites that warn against running certain kinds of builds at cap as they are challenging, all the more for first lifers.

This changes the scope of the thread a lot but I think I was hoping to get some input on what kinds of builds are effective first life at cap and tossed out a build with hopes that I'd be close to something that was workable.

[unbongwah]

I'm currently running a fire sorc main and I've heard that FVS casters feel similar (high sp, few spells, alotta spam).

FvS doesn't have quite the same repertoire of DPS spells as sorcerer does. FvS are heavily weighed in favor of light and fire damage; sorcs can use more elements, though not all of them at once. Of course, a sorc isn't going to bring healing to a party like a FvS does.

I think my worry is that I want to be a solid contributor when I take a build to cap that isn't dead most of the time. I guess I've read too many posts from forumites that warn against running certain kinds of builds at cap as they are challenging, all the more for first lifers.

Disclaimer: I haven't played at cap in a long time, but the essence of DDO doesn't really change, IMO. Namely: the more your build depends on DC-based spells or abilities, the harder it is to be effective at higher levels / difficulties as an under-geared first-lifer. Any decent ranged toon which can hit a mob will contribute DPS even without best-in-slot raid gear. Any decent healer can help keep the party alive without needing a ton of past lives. OTOH that newbie Pale Master is gonna get frustrated every time they fire off an instakill and realizes they can't penetrate the mobs' Spell Resistance.

For a healer I think at a minimum you want Quicken + Empower Heal. However for a build like this, that means dropping or delaying a couple of ranged feats.

[Matuse]

Bows require a really stupendous number of feats to function well. You will almost certainly need to drop in some Fighter or Ranger for extra feat access.

6 levels of Ranger will give you Precise Shot, Rapid Shot, Manyshot. It will also unlock the Ranger AA tree instead of the Elven one, which will save a LOT of enhancement points that can be spent elsewhere....like Deepwood Stalker or Warsoul to improve your bow abilities. It would also free up your racial choice - you could be Human and pick up another feat.