Halfling Trapping Bard with Knives

[streetlight]

Hi everyone. I'm really new to making builds and relatively new to this current era of DDO. I have played a regular Shintao Monk to 20, a t5 Warchanter/t4 Swash Bard to 30, and now am approaching 20 on my EK/PM/Harper THF Wizard.

I'd like to move back to the Swashbuckler because it is currently my favorite playstyle. One of the things I noticed about my run to 30 with it was that it was very weak. I also was having a LOT of trouble freezing anything in heroic R1s. If it was EE or ER1 I would literally remove the attacks from my hotbar. It was my first life, 32pt build, no gear to speak of. I acquired things along the way and saved some goodies. Namely the VR Cane, Moonguard, and a few weapons. I also got a keylock ring and other trapping items.

I want to move away from the freezing skills of the Warchanter for now (definitely want to go back to it because it's hella fun) and focus more on being badass with a shield. I was reading through the recent Vistani trapper build and unbongwah posted a 15/3/2 Bard/Fighter/Rogue split that really interested me.

He did note, however, that the build could work without VKF. Well, I tried to do just that. The issue is, from what I see, that it still requires me to use Daggers/Kukris, because I can't get Dex to Hit from anywhere in the enhancement tree besides Assassin. If this is wrong, please let me know!.

I like the idea of DEX based because it guarantees I'll be getting the full use of the light armor I'm wearing as well as potentially taking Second Skin in t5 Swashbuckler for even more (not sure if that's necessary). I have virtually no past lives as this will by my third life. I'm trying to make up for that defensively without sacrificing too much offense (which is why Vanguard/Fighter is so nice).

I'd like to use this build in an upcoming TR marathon where we try to TR in one day, from 2 to 20. So no epic leveling for this toon.

I'm very open to race changes, class changes (more fighter perhaps?), but still want the Bard goodies (GH, Haste, Displace). I also am wondering if it's possible to take the second level of rogue sooner, because I really want evasion quicker than level 15. Here it is... rip it apart!

Halfling Trapping Skirmisher
15/3/2 Bard/Fighter/Rogue
True Neutral Halfling


Level Order

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


Stats
. . . . . . . .36pt . . Tome . . Level Up
. . . . . . . .---- . . ----. . .--------
Strength. . . . .8. . . .+7. . . .4: DEX
Dexterity . . . 18. . . .+7. . . .8: DEX
Constitution. . 12. . . .+7. . . 12: DEX
Intelligence. . 18. . . .+7. . . 16: DEX
Wisdom. . . . . .8. . . .+7. . . 20: DEX
Charisma. . . . 12. . . .+7. . .


Skills
. . . . . R .B .B .B .F. B. B. B. B. B. F .F. B. B. R .B .B .B .B .B
. . . . . 1 .2 .3 .4 .5. 6. 7. 8. 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
. . . . .------------------------------------------------------------
Perform . 2 .3 .1 .1 . . 2. . .2 . . 2. . . . 1. 3. . .1 .2 . . 1. 2. 23
Concent . 2 .2 .2 .1 . . 2. 1. 1. 1. 1. . . . 2. 2. . .2 .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
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. . .2 .1 .2 .1 .1. 1 . . . .3. 1. 1. 2. 1. 1. 23
UMD . . . 4 .1 .1 .1 . . 2. 1. 1. 1. 1. . . . 3. 1. 1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .23
Open Lo . 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 . . . . . . . . 10
Balance . 4 . . . .3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Jump. . . 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1. . . 5
Swim. . . 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
Tumble. . 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
Haggle. . 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
. . . . .------------------------------------------------------------
. . . . .48 10 10 10. 6 10 10 10 10 10. 6 .6 10 10 12 10 10 10 10 10
Max . . .48 11 11 11. 7 11 12 12 12 12. 8 .8 12 12 15 13 13 13 13 13


Feats

.1. . . . : Single Weapon Fighting
.3. . . . : Precision
.5 Fighter: Shield Mastery
.6. . . . : Improved Shield Bash
.9. . . . : Improved Single Weapon Fighting
11 Fighter: Improved Critical: Piercing
12. . . . : Improved Shield Mastery
15. . . . : Greater Single Weapon Fighting
18. . . . : Quicken Spell


Enhancements (80 AP)

Swashbuckler (41 AP)

• Confidence, Swashbuckling, Uncanny Dodge, Panache
  1. Blow By Blow: Melee III, Tavern Shanties I
  2. Fast Movement, Double Strike Boost III
  3. Elegant Footwork, Skirmisher, Resonant Arms III, Swift Strikes, Dexterity
  4. Low Blow, Battering Barrage II, Dexterity
  5. Thread the Needle, Exploit Weakness, Coup de Grace: Melee

Vanguard (18 AP)

• To the Fore!, Shield Combat I
  1. Shield Specialization, Shield Smash III, Unbalancing Shove I
  2. Shield Specialization, Stunning Shield III, Missile Shield I
  3. Shield Specialization, Fatal Bulwark

Warchanter (14 AP)

• Skaldic: Constitution
  1. Poetic Edda II, Enchant Weapon, Rough and Ready III
  2. Words of Encouragement III
  3. Ironskin Chant III

Stalwart Defender (6 AP)

• Toughness, Stalwart Defense
  1. Item Defense I, Durable Defense III

Assassin (1 AP)

• Knife in the Darkness

[unbongwah]

He did note, however, that the build could work without VKF. Well, I tried to do just that. The issue is, from what I see, that it still requires me to use Daggers/Kukris, because I can't get Dex to Hit from anywhere in the enhancement tree besides Assassin. If this is wrong, please let me know!.

Take the Weapon Finesse feat. Now you can use any Swashbuckling weapon you like.

I'm very open to race changes, class changes (more fighter perhaps?), but still want the Bard goodies (GH, Haste, Displace).

The other major option is bard 12 / fighter 6 / rogue 2: you give up level 5 spells, Inspire Heroics, and some skill points; gain two feats and access to level 6 fighter enhancements. Specifically, you can combine Swashbuckling with Strike with No Thought using handaxes or light picks to get 15-20/x4 or 17-20/x5 critical threat ranges, respectively. Unfortunately there's not a lot of light picks: really just Planar Spike and Endless Night; but Night Revels should be reopening for Halloween. You have a lot more options for handaxes: Forgotten Axe gets +1 crit range and Axe of the Unseen Blow gets +1x crit multiplier.

[streetlight]

Edited this post out. After investigating the Fighter trees and the synergy with Swashbuckling, I think I'm actually going to drop trapping and rogue altogether. I'd rather be strong in the Swashbuckling department because I don't have any past lives to speak of to help me. With Bard I'm getting a very nice UMD, self buffs, and healing potential in R1. With Fighter I'm making myself valuable on the front lines.

Going DEX based allows me to retain a high armor class, dropping trapping means boosting CON/CHA, and taking Force of Personality will solidify my Will saves. I think building around that idea is much much easier than trying to maintain traps through heroic R1s especially because it would my first every take on doing traps.

I also learned that choosing what class to take at what level is a function of feats and enhancements, which I didn't notice until trying to put Rogue 2 at level 2... realizing I wouldn't be swashbuckling until level 5. Not something I really want especially in a "TR in a day" event. I need my strengths to come online as early as possible.