Cetus - 18 Fighter / 1 Monk / 1 Favored Soul: The Ultimate Offensive Fighter

[Cetus]

18 Fighter / 1 Monk 1 / Favored-Soul
Great-Axe Wielding Kensei Fighter
Half-Orc
Fury of the Wild

Notes before we begin:

1. I'll just say this first. This build is suicide if you aren't experienced in metagaming, quest knowledge, and DDO game mechanics. This is not to say that the more casual or less experienced players cannot derive value from this thread, but the target audience here is, frankly, for the top melee players in DDO.
2. This thread is featuring a completed character. This means that it assumes maximum AP's, maximum tomes, and maximum past lives. Please do not inquire about versions of this build with suboptimal investments. This is not the build for incomplete characters.
3. This build shines brightest in a raid scenario. It is codependent on fort bypass as there is no falconry here. Precision is also tossed for super min/max scenarios.
4. Critiques are always welcome, as this is a constant work in progress.

STARTING STATS:
Strength: 20, Dexterity: 8, Constitution: 16, Intelligence: 6, Wisdom: 16, Charisma: 6

FEATS: (in no particular order)

10 Fighter Feats + 1 Monk Feat + 11 Level-Up Feats + 3 Destiny Feats + 1 Legendary Feat = 26

Setup #1: Precision and Stunning Blow

1. Two-Handed Fighting
2. Improved Two-Handed Fighting
3. Greater Two-Handed Fighting
4. Power Attack
5. Precision
6. Stunning Blow
7. Weapon Focus: Slashing (2 melee power)
8. Greater Weapon Focus: Slashing (2 melee power)
9. Superior Weapon Focus: Slashing (2 melee power)
10. Weapon Specialization: Slashing (2 melee power)
11. Greater Weapon Specialization: Slashing (2 melee power)
12. Weapon Focus: Bludgeon (2 melee power)
13. Greater Weapon Focus: Bludgeon (2 melee power)
14. Weapon Specialization: Bludgeon (2 melee power)
15. Greater Weapon Specialization: Bludgeon (2 melee power)
16. Weapon Focus: Piercing (2 melee power)
17. Greater Weapon Focus: Piercing (2 melee power)
18. Adept of Forms
19. Overwhelming Critical
20. Completionist
21. Improved Critical: Slashing
22. Master of Forms
23. Epic Feat #1: Perfect Two handed fighting
24. Epic Feat #2: Perfect Two Weapon Fighting
25. Epic Feat #3: Dire Charge
26. Legendary Feat: Scion of Arborea


Setup #2: Full min/max DPS

1. Two-Handed Fighting
2. Improved Two-Handed Fighting
3. Greater Two-Handed Fighting
4. Power Attack
5. Weapon Focus: Piercing (2 melee power)
6. Greater Weapon Focus: Piercing (2 melee power)
7. Weapon Focus: Slashing (2 melee power)
8. Greater Weapon Focus: Slashing (2 melee power)
9. Superior Weapon Focus: Slashing (2 melee power)
10. Weapon Specialization: Slashing (2 melee power)
11. Greater Weapon Specialization: Slashing (2 melee power)
12. Weapon Focus: Bludgeon (2 melee power)
13. Greater Weapon Focus: Bludgeon (2 melee power)
14. Weapon Specialization: Bludgeon (2 melee power)
15. Greater Weapon Specialization: Bludgeon (2 melee power)
16. Weapon Specialization: Piercing (2 melee power)
17. Greater Weapon Specialization: Piercing (2 melee power)
18. Adept of Forms
19. Overwhelming Critical
20. Completionist
21. Improved Critical: Slashing
22. Master of Forms
23. Epic Feat #1: Perfect Two handed fighting
24. Epic Feat #2: Perfect Two Weapon Fighting
25. Epic Feat #3: Dire Charge
26. Legendary Feat: Scion of Arborea

SKILLS: All level-up skills into Intimidate, enough UMD just to reach no-fail on Tenser/Resurrection scrolls, Take tumble out of N/A. Whatever else you want.

TWISTS
4 - 3 - 2 - 2 - 1 (40 fate points)

Martial Hymn
Hail of Blows
Improved Power Attack
Dance of Flowers
First Harmonic Chord or Running with the Wind (in the case when you are not wearing Bloodrage Chrism, see below)

ENHANCEMENTS:

Kensei: 35 Points
Extra Action Boost (6)
Kensei Weapon Specialization: Axes (8)
Critical Mastery (3)
Shattering Strike (1)
Strength (4)
Strike at the Heart (2)
Opportunity Attack (2)
All tier 5's and All cores except good death and capstone (9)

Vistani Knife Fighting 41 Points
Pretty much take everything to reach capstone. Make sure you grab the negative level immunity from tier 4.

Half-Orc 16 Points
4 Cores (6)
Orcish Weapon Training (6)
Improved Power Attack (3)
Raging Crush (1)

Henshin Mystic 1 Point
First Core

Warsoul 3 Points
Core 1 (1)
Divine Will (2)

DESTINY
Fury of the Wild
Boulder's Might (3)
Primal Scream (3)
Strength x5 (10)
Overwhelming Force (2)
Fury Eternal (1)
Devastating Blow (2)
Strong Swings (1)
Unbridled Fury (2)
Bloodbath (1)

CURRENT GEAR

I am including my uniquely boosted items here. Your particular bonuses will vary and depending on the melee power differences, may incentivize alternate itemization. See below.

Helmet: Titania (Summer #1): Reaper Melee Power Boost +3. Crown of Summer, Eternal Holy Burst

Necklace: When Raiding: Legendary String of Ears: Quality Wisdom +5, Dodge +21%: Reaper Melee Power Boost +3 (Slot Brutal Blows #1).
**Alternative: The Family Recruit Sigil for relentless fury when in a non-raid scenario (Slot Brutal Blows #1). Also used when Baz is the weapon, since the cleaver covers armor piercing. See below.

Trinket: Legendary Subtle Sound: Mythic Melee Power Boost + 3, Quality Seeker +3 (Slotted Brutal Blows #2), Insightful Deception +5
**Preferred Alternative: Bloodrage Chrism (Slotted Brutal Blows). Howeve, reaper melee power boosted version is difficult to acquire, subtle sound edges out on DPS until a boosted version arises.

Cloak: Legendary Summer Cloak (Summer #2): Reaper Melee Power Boost +3. Strength +21, Insightful Strength +10, Doublestrike +23%

Belt: Legendary Belt of the Ram (Summer #3): Mythic Melee Power Boost +3, Quality Strength +5, Constitution +21, Speed +30%

Right Ring: Legendary Ring of Prowess (Slot Perfect Silence #1): Reaper Melee Power +3. Melee Power +8

Gloves: Magmatic Grasp (Artifact, Summer #4): Mythic Melee Power Boost +1, Reaper Melee Power Boost +3. Accuracy +36, Deadly +18, Fire Damage Proc

Boots: Legendary Red Dragonscale Boots (Summer #5): Reaper Melee Power Boost +3. Seeker +21, Combat Mastery +17

Left Ring: Legendary Lionheart Ring (Summer #6): Action Boost Enhancement, Insightful Armor Piercing +16, Stunning +23, Insightful Constitution +10

Bracers: Legendary Vambraces of the Summer Court (Summer #7): Reaper Melee Power Boost +3. Insightful Seeker +10, Insightful Doublestrike +11%.

Armor: This piece ties the set together - Outfit of the Celestial Guardian (Slot Perfect Silence Augment #2): Fortification +196%, Quality Doublestrike +5%, Quality Deadly +4, Sheltering +49, Parrying +9, Deathblock IX

Goggles: Legendary Tharne’s Goggles (Slot Brutal Blows #3): Deception +18, Diversion +34%, Enhanced Ghostly

Weapon: Legendary Magmatic Cleaver: Slotted with Deconstructor/Silver + Perfect Silence #3. Armor Piercing +34%
Secondary Weapon: Legendary Baz'Morath, Curator of Decay Slotted: Deconstructor/Silver + Perfect Silence #3. Mythic Weapon Boost +2

SENTIENT FILIGREES: 5 Piece Prowess, 3 Piece Shattered Device, 2 Raid Rare Filigree, 2 Piece Treachery

Weapon:
1. Prowess: Critical Confirmation (Rare)
2. Prowess: Attack and Damage (Rare)
3. Prowess: Melee Power (Rare)
4. Prowess: Strength (Rare)
5. Shattered Device: Melee Power (Rare)
6. Shattered Device: Strength (Rare)
7. Treachery: Threat Reduction (Rare)
8. Sucker Punch/One Against Many: Strength (Rare)
9. Treachery: Melee Power (Rare)

Magmatic Grasp:
1. Prowess: Melee Power (Rare)
2. Shattered Device: Melee Power (Rare)
3. Sucker Punch/One Against Many: Strength (Rare)

*I do not use 4-piece shattered device as someone in party already provides it.

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PERFORMANCE NUMBERS

Strength: 20 base + 8 tome + 7 level-ups + 2 Completionist + 2 Racial Completionist + 2 Half-Orc + 2 Kensei Tree + 2 Vistani Capstone + 2 Vistani Tree + 2 Yugoloth + 2 Lasting Elixir + 5 Primal Scream + 5 Fury Tree + 3 Master Fire Stance + 1 Martial Hymn + 1 Globe + 21 Strength + 10 Insightful Strength + 5 Quality Strength + 8 Power Surge + 4 Tenser's Scroll + 5 Dread Adversary + 6 Filigree + 1 Racial Past-Life + 2 Ship buff + 2 Profane + 2 Madstone Rage +4 Artifact Brutal Blows +2 Rams Might +2 Situational Vistani Fortune (25% of the time) = 138-140 strength

Wisdom: 16 Base + 8 tome + 2 Completionist + 2 Racial Completionist + 2 Vistani Capstone + 2 Yugoloth + 2 Lasting Elixir + 1 Martial Hymn + 1 globe + 21 Wisdom Swap/10 Insightful Wisdom Swap + Weapon Set Swap +10 sentient/+2 Alchemical + 4 Artifact (slotted in the weapon set + goggle. Credit goes to Gisty from LD for this idea) + 8 Power Surge + 2 Racial Past Life + 2 Ship Buff + 2 Profane + 2 Festive Wisdom + 5 Quality Wisdom +5 Reaper Points +3 Water Stance +2 Situational Vistani Fortune (25% of the time) = 112-114 Self Buffed Wisdom

Constitution: 16 Base + 8 Tome + 2 Completionist + 2 Racial Completionist + 2 Vistani Capstone + 2 Lasting Elixir + 1 Globe + 21 Constitution + 10 Insightful Constitution + 8 Power Surge + 2 Racial Past Life + 2 Ship Buff + 2 Profane + 5 Primal Scream + 4 Tenser's Scroll + 5 Grim Barricade +4 Madstone Rage +2 Situational Vistani Fortune (25% of the time) = 96-98 self-buffed constitution

Damage: 64-65 Strength Modifier x 2.5 Scaling Factor for THF = 160-162.5 + Deadly 18 + Quality Deadly 4 +~26 Divine Will + 3 Monk Past Life + 16 PA + 15 Enhancement Bonus + 2 Arborea + 2 Morale (Good Hope) + 2 Alchemical Potion of Prowess + 6 Ancient Power + 4 Dread Adversary + 6 Fury of the Wild + 3 Enchant Weapon + 6 Orcish Weapon Training + 13 Kensei tree + 4 weapon specialization + 3 Shattered Device Set + 1 Attack/Damage Prowess Filigree + 4 Battle Meditation +2 Luck +3 Hail of Blows twist +3 First Harmonic Chord (if using chrism, and not twisting running with the wind) = ~307-310 Self-Buffed (depending if Chrism is worn, swapping first harmonic chord for running with the wind to maintain doublestrike)

Weapon Dice: Baz (upgraded) is 7.5W + 1W from Dance of Flowers + 0.5W from Improved Power Attack + 0.25W from Guild Buff + 1W from Deadly = 10.3W (rounded on character sheet)
Magmatic Cleaver would be 0.5W less at 9.8W

Using Baz, ~310 damage + 10.3[1d12+6] = Average raw base damage of 438.75 (will be used later for melee power correction)
Using Cleaver, ~310 damage + 9.8[1d12+6] = Average raw base damage of 432.75 (will be used later for melee power correction)

Melee Power (Full Min/Max Version): 36 Fury of the Wild Core + 25 Strong Swings + 4 Tome + 20 One Cut + 20 One with the Blade + 20 Vistani Capstone +26 For Weapon Focus/Specialization Feats + 10 Perfect Two-Handed Fighting + 3 Henshin Core + 25 Artifact Summer + 48 Filigree + 30 Epic Power + 20 Scion of Arborea

Gear:
+3 Reaper on Helmet
+3 Reaper on String of Ears Necklace
+3 Reaper on Subtle Sound Trinket (swapped for chrism)
+3 Mythic on Right Ring
+3 Reaper + 1 Mythic on Gloves
+3 Reaper on Left Ring
+3 Reaper Melee on Boots
+3 Reaper Melee on Bracers
+3 Reaper Melee on Cloak
+3 Mythic on Belt

Total +31 from gear

+15 Lasting Potion + 24 Dread Adversary + 10 Martial Hymn + 8 Prowess + +10 Crown of Summer + 5 Almond-Coated Shadow Apple +3 Slotted Statuettes (in the meantime) + 15 Vistani Fortune (25% of the time) = 393-408 Self-Buffed Standing Melee Power

393-408 + 20 Opportunity Attack + 50 Prowess Buff = 463-478 Melee Power

Stunning Blow (when used): 10 + 64-65 Str Modifier + 23 Stunning Item + ]26 Divine Will + 3 Fighter Past Lives + 4 Reaper's Tactics + 1 Guild Buff +5 Summer Set = 137

Dire Charge: 157

Doublestrike: 3% Kensei Cores + 15% Summer Set + 23% + 11% Insightful Doublestrike + 6% Iconic Past Life + 3% Shattered Device + +9% Martial Past Life + 5% Perfect Two-Weapon Fighting + 3% Hail of Blows + 6% Running with the Wind + 10% Vistani +5% Quality Doublestrike = 99% Standing Full-Time
*With Bloodrage chrism, this would allow swapping running with the wind for First Harmonic Chord, if chrism has melee power boosts.

To-Hit : +64-65 Strength Modifier + 15 Enhancement + 2 Arborea + 3 Enchant Weapons Epic Past Life + 1 Blinding Speed + 30 BAB + 36 Competence Bonus + 26 Insightful bonus + 3 Superior Weapon Focus + 3 Fighter Past Life + 6 Orcish Weapon Training + 7 Kensei + 4 Battle Meditation + 4 Grim Barricade + 2 Alchemical Prowess + 4 GH + 12 Ancient Power (THF) + 3 Shattered Device + 1 Attack/Damage Prowess Filigree + 2 Tactical Training Room = 208 +2 Luck Bonus + 5 (insightful deception) + 18 (deception) + 6 guild + 2 standard flanking bonus + 4 (net) essence of betrayal = >250

Critical Hit To-Hit/Damage: Seeker +21 + Insightful Seeker + 10 + 3 Critical Mastery + 3 Quality Seeker + 6 Guild Buff +2 Prowess Critical Confirmation = 45
Total critical confirmation while sneaking: >300

Fortification Bypass: 36% Enhancement + 16% Insightful + 5% Guild Bonus + 25% Summer Set + 25% Sunder + 15% Shattering Strike + 15% Fighter Improved Destruction +15% Reaper’s Imbuement: 152%. The rest is supplied by the raid group.

Strikethrough: Base 20% + THF line 150% = 170%

Action Boost Count:: 5 base + 3 Kensei + 1 Guild + 2 Prowess + 3 Extra Action Boost Swap (beginning of quest) = 14

Threat reduction: 50% Treachery + 34% Tharnes = 84% Threat Reduction

Attack Speed: 15% + 5% Vistani Capstone +5% Madstone = 25% Attack Speed

19/20 Critical Multiplier: 3 + 1 Overwhelming + 1 Kensei + 1 Fury + 1 Fire Stance + One Cut (25% of the time) = 8.



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Discussion/Tips:
This build uses raging crush + deadly strikes + adrenalines to maximize critical hits using greataxe dice. The monk levels provide strike attacks, including the triple earth finisher in between.

Metagaming:
When you zone into a quest, use a +21 wisdom / 10 wisdom collective site swap + a wisdom sentient/alchemical weapon set, all three of which are slotted with +4 Artifact bonus to Wisdom (credit goes to Gisty from LD for this idea). Hit power surge and use the trance, then swap back using macros.

Cleaver is currently better DPS as compared to Baz, as it provides fire damage in the range of 2-300 per hit on R10. This outweighs the 6 damage/hit advantage Baz provides, especially with a 25% attack speed that this build achieves.

Enjoy! If there are any improvements that you can pinpoint, don’t hesitate to let me know. Always a work in progress.