Sherman Machine Gun

[FURYous]

I died at 4,300 favor to that champ maggot dot that I just couldn't heal fast enough (was taking 110 points of damage a second). So I am going to retry with friends but I am changing my build up a bit and am requesting input.

The primary objective of this build is to survive, HP, Mitigation, Saves, Healing, LoH, the works! Dieing at 4,300 favor sucked and I don't want to do that again.
The secondary objective is to kill the things trying to kill me but I want to do it from far as away as fast as possible. Preferably from around a corner so their caster and ranged friends are shooting at the wall I am behind.

Thus I give you the Sherman Machine Gun build!

I wanted trapping too but couldn't get the synergy to work, so now I just want to live through the traps and get a hireling or a PUG to trap for us.

I will be running with buddies who have a tanky THF DPS Pal/FvS and a Pale master

[boredGamer]

Whatever build you use you should have remove disease pots.

I don't really understand how you had time to try to heal but not drink remove disease. Clearly the first move after those champs. What was the situation there?

[FURYous]

Whatever build you use you should have remove disease pots.

I don't really understand how you had time to try to heal but not drink remove disease. Clearly the first move after those champs. What was the situation there?

End fight of Through a Mirror Darkly and didn't notice I had the DOT until after I hit the mirror to change sides. By the time I appeared on the other side, I was close to death and had no clue why I was dying, so just tried to heal with Silver Flame pots and hireling. Everything happened in less than 3 seconds, had other healers in group trying to heal me but due to the chaos it didn't happen in time. I didn't know it was the maggot DOT until after I died and was able to scroll through the logs.

Not sure why I have to explain myself to you as getting to that level should show that I know what to do (your comments about "I don't really understand how you had time to try to heal but not drink remove disease. Clearly the first move after those champs" seems a bit accusatory and demeaning), but:

• lag
• changing zones
• tons of mobs
• and a boss

makes anything hard to pinpoint and cure in less than 3 seconds. Maybe you are gods gift to DDO and could have done this in your sleep but I need a tad more time

To give myself this time, I came up with this build that happens to be immune to disease and fear.

[FURYous]

Whatever build you use you should have remove disease pots.

I don't really understand how you had time to try to heal but not drink remove disease. Clearly the first move after those champs. What was the situation there?

Obviously, your expertise has allowed you to get the Hardcore rewards, can you share picts of your level 5k, and reaper rewards please? I have a hard time tracking down good pictures of these. I already have the 1750 and level 20 rewards so I know what they look like.

[boredGamer]

You don't have to explain anything, it's just weird phrasing to say "I couldn't heal fast enough" - instead of "I couldn't remove the DoT fast enough".

Obviously not relying on pots for healing helps, instant heals and instant temp hp go a long way, sounds like that's in your next goal, but removing the dot is obviously the most important.

And I like how you really escalated to 100 your rage towards me. I just asked what the situation was. I actually assumed you were helpless or something so couldn't drink a pot.

Not that MY play matters to YOUR play, but if you must know, I've done 3k favor, I'm not convinced I care enough about the mount to finish to 5k. I have 2 reaper toons at 5 and 6 points. I'll probably do 10 points and call it a day. I haven't died, characters are between 10 and 16.

[FURYous]

You don't have to explain anything, it's just weird phrasing to say "I couldn't heal fast enough" - instead of "I couldn't remove the DoT fast enough".

Obviously not relying on pots for healing helps, instant heals and instant temp hp go a long way, sounds like that's in your next goal, but removing the dot is obviously the most important.

And I like how you really escalated to 100 your rage towards me. I just asked what the situation was. I actually assumed you were helpless or something so couldn't drink a pot.

Not that MY play matters to YOUR play, but if you must know, I've done 3k favor, I'm not convinced I care enough about the mount to finish to 5k. I have 2 reaper toons at 5 and 6 points. I'll probably do 10 points and call it a day. I haven't died, characters are between 10 and 16.

Getting from 4k to 5k is where most of the deaths of the "good" players happen, this is when you can't do 4 levels over anymore (if you take 20 you can't do level 19 or lower quests anymore). Also the introduction of the new champions is a new mechanic and reacting to them is not in "muscle memory" yet, I don't know of any other disease in the last 15 years that put a 110 point a second dot on you. At the lower levels it gave you more time to react to it but it doesn't seem to scale well past level 15.

I have noticed a trends with your posts, you seem to be posting everywhere and not much of it is very helpful, it's as if you are stirring the pot or maybe you can only feel better about yourself if you belittle others. Something in the tone of your posts that rubs me the wrong way, so when you comment on how I should have done something in a smug self righteous tone that implies how that would never have happened to you.... that makes me Furyous

I find it annoying how you are an expert on things you have never done, if you want to talk trash about how you could/would have done it better, then DO IT, and THEN come back and share your wisdom oh mighty one.

[Careall]

This build is fairly decent. It has a small vulnerability - like many builds - when it gets stuck and can't take any actions. You've got Fear and Enchantment saves pretty well locked up (no-fail on 1), so you don't have to worry much about Hold Person, Fear, or similar spells. You also have more-than-decent stats with the +8 tome, so you don't have to worry too much about stat damage leaving you helpless. However, later on, Otto's Irresistible Dance (no saving throw) and Snare-type traps (Bear Traps, for example) may present problems, such as not being able to drink pots or heal yourself. I don't know if this build would be immune to disease, and you might end up facing a similar maggots problem with no immediately obvious viable solution (hindsight solutions usually do present themselves after the fact, regardless of the source). Lag will also always be a problem, and similarly waiting for a loading screen.

If you were running your Pale Master trapper and died (not immune to maggots disease), the solution is that you should almost always have your DA and LDA spells running. Those two would have easily kept pace with those maggots, though less so in Reaper. For example, I recently lagged out fighting a mimic (elite, Slave Lords) and had about 30 seconds of straight lag. I emerged without a scratch and the mimic was dead thanks to DA and LDA running, and plenty of tanky defenses. I have my Neg Energy Burst hot-keyed so I only have to press "H" and I get a maximized heal. Later, I'll Quicken it for faster and nearly unbreakable casting.

Another thing to consider is how you would fare against Dispel effects taking down buffs like Death Ward. It looks like this build will have decent PRR and MRR along with great saves, but it helps to have a plan for surviving when mobs are also casting dispel. An example is the Beholder and Thaarak Hound combination in a number of quests. While an Anti-Beholder crystal will protect against the beholder's attacks, you won't be immune to the dispel effects. Then, if you get hit by a champ Thaarak Hound's sonic attack, that could be deadly. Or, what if you have Death Ward dispelled? Granted, your +8 tome helps considerably by adding about a 20% reduced chance of dispels knocking down your buffs, but I like to eliminate chances and go with certainty whenever possible and avoid interacting with Murphy's Law.

[FURYous]

This build is fairly decent. It has a small vulnerability - like many builds - when it gets stuck and can't take any actions. You've got Fear and Enchantment saves pretty well locked up (no-fail on 1), so you don't have to worry much about Hold Person, Fear, or similar spells. You also have more-than-decent stats with the +8 tome, so you don't have to worry too much about stat damage leaving you helpless. However, later on, Otto's Irresistible Dance (no saving throw) and Snare-type traps (Bear Traps, for example) may present problems, such as not being able to drink pots or heal yourself. I don't know if this build would be immune to disease, and you might end up facing a similar maggots problem with no immediately obvious viable solution (hindsight solutions usually do present themselves after the fact, regardless of the source). Lag will also always be a problem, and similarly waiting for a loading screen.

If you were running your Pale Master trapper and died (not immune to maggots disease), the solution is that you should almost always have your DA and LDA spells running. Those two would have easily kept pace with those maggots, though less so in Reaper. For example, I recently lagged out fighting a mimic (elite, Slave Lords) and had about 30 seconds of straight lag. I emerged without a scratch and the mimic was dead thanks to DA and LDA running, and plenty of tanky defenses. I have my Neg Energy Burst hot-keyed so I only have to press "H" and I get a maximized heal. Later, I'll Quicken it for faster and nearly unbreakable casting.

Another thing to consider is how you would fare against Dispel effects taking down buffs like Death Ward. It looks like this build will have decent PRR and MRR along with great saves, but it helps to have a plan for surviving when mobs are also casting dispel. An example is the Beholder and Thaarak Hound combination in a number of quests. While an Anti-Beholder crystal will protect against the beholder's attacks, you won't be immune to the dispel effects. Then, if you get hit by a champ Thaarak Hound's sonic attack, that could be deadly. Or, what if you have Death Ward dispelled? Granted, your +8 tome helps considerably by adding about a 20% reduced chance of dispels knocking down your buffs, but I like to eliminate chances and go with certainty whenever possible and avoid interacting with Murphy's Law.

Thanks for the great input, the main reasons I moved from the Pale Master build to this one is:

• immunity to disease
• immunity to fear
• more HP (can't be dispelled)
• Higher saves (can't be dispelled)
• Doesn't have to worry about mana for DPS
• I really like the PM auras but having pure mitigation and HP seems like a better defensive chance when helpless. Also the extra saves help prevent most forms of helplessness.

The PM build is fantastic and the reason I considered it first. This one is more attractive to me on HC. The unknowns of playing with no forgiveness for weeks to get to my goals leaves me wanting the best "surprise" resistant build I can make without going full turtle tank and doing no DPS

[rabidfox]

Thanks for the great input, the main reasons I moved from the Pale Master build to this one is:

• immunity to fear

You're doubling up on immunity to fear via tiefling and paladin. I know you get the +cha and few other things from them, but I almost wonder if human for the extra feat (since ranged can a bit feat starved and you don't have IPS in your build) plus humans save boosts for the no-fail on 1 action boost might another viable option.

[boredGamer]

<snip>

Because most posts don't make any sense, and are whining about the wrong problem.

Take your post for example, if it is 110 hp per second for 3 seconds, are you saying you had less than 330 hp? I'm not even sure how you switched zones as tic per second would interrupt that unless you got it AS you were switching? Then as discussed you mention not being able to heal fast enough, which is rather confusing. And of course tell me how you totally know how everything works because *evidence* - but apparently don't watch for the thing that has been affecting everyone all season?

Yeah, most of my hardcore posts are like that, because most people are absolutely livid about things that are *totally not their fault*. I have many helpful replies on how they could not do what they are doing, but most people want to tell me it's still not their fault, and I'm the jerk.

I did 5k last season, I get that's not the same as this season, but I've gone down the basic road.

But whatever, sure - you know all the things, and I'm just a jerk.

[Careall]

Thanks for the great input, the main reasons I moved from the Pale Master build to this one is:

• immunity to disease
• immunity to fear
• more HP (can't be dispelled)
• Higher saves (can't be dispelled)
• Doesn't have to worry about mana for DPS
• I really like the PM auras but having pure mitigation and HP seems like a better defensive chance when helpless. Also the extra saves help prevent most forms of helplessness.

The PM build is fantastic and the reason I considered it first. This one is more attractive to me on HC. The unknowns of playing with no forgiveness for weeks to get to my goals leaves me wanting the best "surprise" resistant build I can make without going full turtle tank and doing no DPS

• PMs are immune to disease and most fear (there's that low-level undead Fear spell that's mildly annoying), and many enchantments such as Hold Person, Dance (even Irresistible), and more. Their one real vulnerability has been Light damage, but now that can be mitigated from the PM Enhancement tree and plenty of equipment buffs.
• My PM usually has the most HP in the party, save for a few barbs and bears, and... dispelled? Nope.
• My PM has high saves that may fall a little short of a Fav/Pally, but not by much, and can't be dispelled. Resist energies can be dispelled, but they're more of an added layer and the build is survivable without them. I just soloed The Faithful Departed. Once I realized they were dispelling my buffs, I just stopped casting them - except when opening a chest.
• I generally don't use mana for DPS, only occasionally against champs and bosses. In fact, my build sips mana compared to most caster builds.
• Honestly, a PM/EK has insane amounts of damage mitigation - I literally walk through traps (not jump over) and swim through lava or acid for fun (saves won't help there), and go toe-to-toe with beholders without AB crystals (I just ran Caverns of Korromar and tanked the beholder at the end - no need to, but it was fun). Adding in the auras is a bonus, not an exclusive "or" choice.