Shadow Sniper | G.Xbow Mechanic

[SpookyNoodle]

Howdy all,

I'm looking to make a Great Crossbow Gnome Mechanic, with a focus on trapping and ranged DPS to have in my back pocket in case we're running endgame quests and raids and someone says "Hey, we need a trapper."

I'll be the first person to admit that I really have no idea when it comes to what is good vs what is terrible. I went through on a character builder and grabbed everything that looked like it made sense, but it might be a walking disaster, and I would love to get some feedback on it before I try to build this poor guy.

Mechanic Sniper
18/2 Rogue/Artificer
True Neutral Gnome


Level Order

1. Artificer       6. Rogue          11. Rogue          16. Rogue
2. Artificer       7. Rogue          12. Rogue          17. Rogue
3. Rogue           8. Rogue          13. Rogue          18. Rogue
4. Rogue           9. Rogue          14. Rogue          19. Rogue
5. Rogue          10. Rogue          15. Rogue          20. Rogue


Stats
               32pt     Tome     Level Up
               ----     ----     --------
Strength         8                4: INT
Dexterity       16       +5       8: INT
Constitution    16               12: INT
Intelligence    18       +2      16: INT
Wisdom           8               20: INT
Charisma         8               24: INT
                                 28: INT

Skills
          A  A  R  R  R  R  R  R  R  R  R  R  R  R  R  R  R  R  R  R
          1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
         ------------------------------------------------------------
Repair    4  1                             1  3  3  3  4  1  1  1  1  23
Disable   4  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  23
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
Balance   2     3  2  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  23
Jump            3  4  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  23
Hide               1  5  3  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  23
Move Si                  2  4  5  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  23
Swim                              4  4  4  3  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  23
Haggle    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
Tumble          1                                         3  3  3  3  13
Spellcr      2                                                         2
         ------------------------------------------------------------
         32  9 13 13 13 13 13 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 15 15 15 15 15


Feats

 1        : Point Blank Shot
 3        : Precise Shot
 6        : Precision
 9        : Rapid Shot
12        : Insightful Reflexes
15        : Improved Critical: Ranged
18        : Improved Precise Shot
21 Epic   : Combat Archery
24 Epic   : Improved Sneak Attack
26 Destiny: Pierce Damage Reduction: Adamantine
27 Epic   : Overwhelming Critical
28 Destiny: Doubleshot
29 Destiny: Deific Warding
30 Epic   : Epic Damage Reduction
30 Legend : Scion of: Ethereal Plane

12 Rogue  : Improved Evasion
15 Rogue  : Crippling Strike
18 Rogue  : Skill Mastery


Spells

Conjure Bolts (1), Enchant Weapons (1), Resist Energy (2)

Enhancements (80+1 AP)

Mechanic (43 AP)
Arbalester, Tanglefoot, Targeting Sights, Improved Detection, Expert Builder
Sharpshooter, Mechanics III
Sharpshooter, Improved Traps III, Wand and Scroll Mastery III, Skill Boost III
Sharpshooter, Intelligence
Sharpshooter, Fletching III, Leg Shot, Intelligence
Sharpshooter, Rapid Fire III, Sniper, Mechanical Reloader
Battle Engineer (13 AP)
Battle Engineer
Crossbow Training, Field Engineer II
Crossbow Training, Extra Action Boost III
Harper Agent (12 AP)
Agent of Good I, Ability Score: Intelligence
Strategic Combat, Awareness II
Know the Angles III
Intelligence
Assassin (7 AP)
Knife in the Darkness
Sneak Attack Training, Stealthy II
Sneak Attack Training
Gnome (3 AP)
Gnomish Perserverance, Intelligence
Thief-Acrobat (3 AP)
Staff Control
Fast Movement

Destiny (24 AP)

Shadowdancer
Technician III, Intelligence
Lithe III, Intelligence
Meld into Darkness III, Grim Precision II, Intelligence
Intelligence
Untouchable, Executioner's Shot I
Shadow Form, Dark Imbuement

The 'theme' for this guy is to feel like one is a special agent or a sniper, doing decent to great damage at long ranges with Inquisitive, before getting in there and disabling everything for you team. Honestly not too solid on this, the feel is very much meant to be secondary when compared to the utility and use that he would provide in groups.

Let me know if you have any suggestions or thoughts regarding the build and ways to improve it. Thanks!

[Tlorrd]

So with your goal in mind of running this end game for trapper and DPS ...

I would split your rogue into one of a few variants ... a few of these builds are here on the forums.

The basic gist is you need to have either Endless Fusilade (Battle Engineer) or No Holds Barred (Inquisitor) (or both).
- last I recall, you can use both with a GXB
- If you went with Endless then you need at least 4 arti levels and the Endless Fusilade build uses a 10/6/4 split of Rogue/Fighter/Artie I believe
- this though locks you out of Core 5 Mechanic for the crit bonus
- the other option is to go 18/2 Rogue/x (artie, fighter, etc) and take Tier 5 from Inq to use NHB from Inq and get Core 5 from Mechanic for the crit bonuses

Specifically the 18/2 Rogue/Artie split gives your more trapping bonuses, Runearms for DR breaking, conjure bolts spell to not use AP on conjure bolts and some extra damage for GXB, as well as Extra actions boosts.

From your enhancements above, I'd scrap the alchemical trap line for end game, those are good for heroics, but fall off significantly in end game as their DCs are bad except for Time Bomb which uses disable device, but is Tier 5 (locking you out of NHB from Inq) and is finicky depending on terrain.

Additionally there are some good sneak attack bonuses from Assassin tree which you could take more of if you're truly going pure Rogue.

Hope this helps.

[SpookyNoodle]

So with your goal in mind of running this end game for trapper and DPS ...

I would split your rogue into one of a few variants ... a few of these builds are here on the forums.

The basic gist is you need to have either Endless Fusilade (Battle Engineer) or No Holds Barred (Inquisitor) (or both).
- last I recall, you can use both with a GXB
- If you went with Endless then you need at least 4 arti levels and the Endless Fusilade build uses a 10/6/4 split of Rogue/Fighter/Artie I believe
- this though locks you out of Core 5 Mechanic for the crit bonus
- the other option is to go 18/2 Rogue/x (artie, fighter, etc) and take Tier 5 from Inq to use NHB from Inq and get Core 5 from Mechanic for the crit bonuses

Specifically the 18/2 Rogue/Artie split gives your more trapping bonuses, Runearms for DR breaking, conjure bolts spell to not use AP on conjure bolts and some extra damage for GXB, as well as Extra actions boosts.

From your enhancements above, I'd scrap the alchemical trap line for end game, those are good for heroics, but fall off significantly in end game as their DCs are bad except for Time Bomb which uses disable device, but is Tier 5 (locking you out of NHB from Inq) and is finicky depending on terrain.

Additionally there are some good sneak attack bonuses from Assassin tree which you could take more of if you're truly going pure Rogue.

Hope this helps.

Okay, interesting. What do you think about this?

Mechanic Sniper
18/2 Rogue/Artificer
True Neutral Gnome


Level Order

1. Artificer       6. Rogue          11. Rogue          16. Rogue
2. Artificer       7. Rogue          12. Rogue          17. Rogue
3. Rogue           8. Rogue          13. Rogue          18. Rogue
4. Rogue           9. Rogue          14. Rogue          19. Rogue
5. Rogue          10. Rogue          15. Rogue          20. Rogue


Stats
               32pt     Tome     Level Up
               ----     ----     --------
Strength         8                4: INT
Dexterity       16       +5       8: INT
Constitution    16               12: INT
Intelligence    18       +2      16: INT
Wisdom           8               20: INT
Charisma         8               24: INT
                                 28: INT

Skills
          A  A  R  R  R  R  R  R  R  R  R  R  R  R  R  R  R  R  R  R
          1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
         ------------------------------------------------------------
Repair    4  1                             1  3  3  3  4  1  1  1  1  23
Disable   4  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  23
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
Balance   2     3  2  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  23
Jump            3  4  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  23
Hide               1  5  3  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  23
Move Si                  2  4  5  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  23
Swim                              4  4  4  3  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  23
Haggle    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
Tumble          1                                         3  3  3  3  13
Spellcr      2                                                         2
         ------------------------------------------------------------
         32  9 13 13 13 13 13 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 15 15 15 15 15


Feats

 1        : Point Blank Shot
 3        : Precise Shot
 6        : Precision
 9        : Rapid Shot
12        : Insightful Reflexes
15        : Improved Critical: Ranged
18        : Improved Precise Shot
21 Epic   : Combat Archery
24 Epic   : Improved Sneak Attack
26 Destiny: Pierce Damage Reduction: Adamantine
27 Epic   : Overwhelming Critical
28 Destiny: Doubleshot
29 Destiny: Deific Warding
30 Epic   : Epic Damage Reduction
30 Legend : Scion of: Ethereal Plane

12 Rogue  : Improved Evasion
15 Rogue  : Crippling Strike
18 Rogue  : Skill Mastery


Spells

Conjure Bolts (1), Enchant Weapons (1), Resist Energy (2)

Enhancements (80+1 AP)

Mechanic (43 AP)
Arbalester, Tanglefoot, Targeting Sights, Improved Detection, Expert Builder
Sharpshooter, Mechanics III
Sharpshooter, Improved Traps III, Wand and Scroll Mastery III, Skill Boost III
Sharpshooter, Intelligence
Sharpshooter, Fletching III, Leg Shot, Intelligence
Sharpshooter, Rapid Fire III, Sniper, Mechanical Reloader
Battle Engineer (13 AP)
Battle Engineer
Crossbow Training, Field Engineer II
Crossbow Training, Extra Action Boost III
Harper Agent (12 AP)
Agent of Good I, Ability Score: Intelligence
Strategic Combat, Awareness II
Know the Angles III
Intelligence
Assassin (7 AP)
Knife in the Darkness
Sneak Attack Training, Stealthy II
Sneak Attack Training
Gnome (3 AP)
Gnomish Perserverance, Intelligence
Thief-Acrobat (3 AP)
Staff Control
Fast Movement

Destiny (24 AP)

Shadowdancer
Technician III, Intelligence
Lithe III, Intelligence
Meld into Darkness III, Grim Precision II, Intelligence
Intelligence
Untouchable, Executioner's Shot I
Shadow Form, Dark Imbuement

[Bolo_Grubb]

Looks like a solid build.

Me personally, I like going with 4 arti and spending 27 points in the Battle engineer tree for Endless Fusillade, if you dont have Inquisitive. Alot of different ways you can go, but your build is a solid one

[Portibraf]

I was planning something similar for a heroic life, but then I convinced myself that taking ips so late would make this life a pain. Maybe it is acceptable for end game or epic lives.