U52 First Life Bow Build

[Carpone]

I've had a number of people ask me for a first life bow build, so here it is: First life bow build

I've been playing this on a free to play account (+Sharn when it was $10), and taken it through several R1 raids. For a first life toon, it performs reasonably well.

I've included an optimal reincarnation path if you choose to pursue bow through your accumulation of past lives. I've also made some recommendations where to spend DDO Points if you choose to focus on minimizing $$$ costs.

[TFerguson]

Nice, it can get traps, has good run speed, and gets you a ranger PL.

I still think for a new player a pure ranger is probably better even if it does less damage. When you have no gear having FOM and a stronger cure adds some utility. YMMV

[Oliphant]

Great idea! Very helpful as usual.

One thing I will note, if someone is willing to play at endgame a bit and run raids, your Best gear set from your main ranged dps guide is attainable on a first life with a little time since the raids involved with the gear tend to be ones people play in PUGs and are accessible. So someone could roll this up and take it all the way to endgame and reasonably expect to attain extremely effective endgame gear if they just stick around and get raid runes.

[spifflove]

Missing out on 8 rogue or barb comes at the cost of improved uncanny dodge.

[Carpone]

I still think for a new player a pure ranger is probably better even if it does less damage. When you have no gear having FOM and a stronger cure adds some utility. YMMV

This build has Cure Mod. It's good enough for self heals. You don't need self-casting FoM. There are so few places where it's needed, and the cloak in this gearset already has FoM on it.

if someone is willing to play at endgame a bit and run raids, your Best gear set from your main ranged dps guide is attainable on a first life

It is. But you've got to start somewhere, which is the point of this build and gear set.

Missing out on 8 rogue or barb comes at the cost of improved uncanny dodge.

Uncanny Dodge is good enough on a first lifer. It's not like this build is going to rip aggro off a tank. At worst you'll be dealing with random aggro swaps like the Devils in VOD. It's already at 24% Dodge standing.

[ElrondElfKing]

will this build be using dual wielding weapons at all, or solely ranged?

[Carpone]

will this build be using dual wielding weapons at all, or solely ranged?

It's ranged only. Hybrid builds don't work in DDO due to the lack of feats, enhancements and gear that supports a dual role.

[Zhyano]

Thanks for the build guide

Just a quick note, warlock and monk are both becoming free (or are already i think?) due to anniversary, so therretically both /1 monk and /2 warlock splits are viable from the getgo!

[Carpone]

Thanks for the build guide

Just a quick note, warlock and monk are both becoming free (or are already i think?) due to anniversary, so therretically both /1 monk and /2 warlock splits are viable from the getgo!

I would still stick with the barbarian due to the run speed and the 1k temp hitpoints you can get from a 5pc Blood Feast swap. I've played my first lifer enough that the times he's died (MA electric floor mostly), the 1k HP would have been super handy. It's also why I just updated the guide to take Deific Warding at 28 over Pierce: Cold Iron. I wouldn't normally ever take Deific Warding on a non-tank build, but the build struggles with MRR. Unless you have more expansions than Sharn for insightful sheltering gear options (Direbear belt), or you've gotten enough raid items to swap to a new gear set with Tinkerer 2pc + Suulomades 2pc + THTH cloak + PN hat, MRR is your Achilles' heel.

[PeregrineFalcon]

Carpone, I like this build a lot and want to try it - if I have the HW tree already, how would you advise making the 13 rogue/6 ranger/1 barb build? Keep the first 6 ranger levels or the second group of them from 10-15?

[MasterSailor]

Carpone, my question is similar to PeregrineFalcon's: I own all the content (expansions, packs, races, classes and enhancements) and I have an old first life ranger, that I'd like to TR to a current bow build and I'm not sure how to best adapt yours. I see how your first life build describes not yet having much content, and I don't know how I might best take advantage. Maybe use the completionist build, but the starter gear list?
Thanks for your time.

[Carpone]

I recommend taking Rogue at first level for skill points, then all six Ranger levels for Sniper Shot. The level you take Barbarian at isn't important.

https://www.ddo.com/forums/showthrea...-for-17-Builds has completionist-level bow builds (refer to the URL in the spreadsheet for the full build and gear). You can easily adapt the 12/6/2 split to 13/6/1. Or the same with the 13/6/1 monk split, subbing barb for monk. Just be cognizant of the alignment restrictions with barb compared to the monk build file.

[Carpone]

U55 Lamannia Preview 1 contains level 32 progression as well as where to spend 8 additional destiny AP. Gear won't be updated with Isle of Dread, since the objective of the guide is to provide a viable ranged build with the least amount of purchased content.

The destiny changes provide +12 Ranged Power, +2 hit/dmg, +15 PRR, +30 HP, +2% Doubleshot.

[C-Dog]

I recommend taking Rogue at first level for skill points, then all six Ranger levels for Sniper Shot. The level you take Barbarian at isn't important.

The order for Barb doesn't matter once you hit 20, but, just like the question of when to get Sniper Shot, it matters for leveling.

SS is a nice boost in DPS. Barb is a noticeable boost in run speed. Run Speed is important for kiting, and for general speed in getting thru a quest (especially any with long-distance running and/or backtracking). (And it used to be more important for getting to quests, but if you have a horse that becomes moot.)

So the question is... is it "overall faster" to take Barb asap at 2, or wait, say, until 4 (after Ranger's Rapid Shot), for faster running starting with The Harbor, rather than running slow while beelining to Sniper Shot at 7 vs. 8 and saving Barb for later?

Me, I like the run speed and feel that 4 or 6 levels of that are overall faster and easier early leveling than 1 level of (greatly) improved DPS, but it's 100% a playstyle thing, so ymmv.

[Ulfo]

It's ranged only.

+2% Doublestrike.

Doubleshot, right?

[Carpone]

Yeah, it's been fixed.

[Tyevic]

Been away awhile and have a few past lives (Pally, ranger, sorc) and have a supreme tome for the +8. However equipment is lacking (do have a silver bow and some of the newer higher tier bows). Any suggestions on a path to go (one that does not have halfling preferably lol). And I do have all the enhancement trees available.

[holmgang]

I've had a number of people ask me for a first life bow build, so here it is: First life bow build

I've been playing this on a free to play account (+Sharn when it was $10), and taken it through several R1 raids. For a first life toon, it performs reasonably well.

I've included an optimal reincarnation path if you choose to pursue bow through your accumulation of past lives. I've also made some recommendations where to spend DDO Points if you choose to focus on minimizing $$$ costs.

Am i missing something?
The doc has feats, enhacements, stats, but no skills like spot sneak, etc.