Belegdur 32pt PDK Battle Tank 12/5/3 Fighter/Paladin/Artificer 1st life and Hardcore

[Belegdur]

Belegdur was a fun build I created for the last Hardcore Server that fulfilled the goals I wanted: Highly Durable with highest AC I could realistically create, high HP and enough offense to actually kill things - hence Battle Tank build. Other goals were limited button smashing and doing a gearset that would mostly last for most of the heroics so geartris would be kept to a minimum. It's sort of a variation of a build I created way way back when the enhancement system was radically different, and I needed a ton of certain feats to qualify - maxing out TWF on a rogue multiclass. The Belegdur build needs a ton of feats to max out THF (Bastard Sword) and the Shield Feats.

The stat scores that need to be considered are 17 Str, 13 Dex, 13 Int, 13 Cha to qualify for the feats needed before putting everything else in Con and Cha. While I eventually purchased a +8 tome when they were on massive discount, initially this build had no tomes until level 9. (And I found out that a LR cannot be done with banked levels, so I wasn't able to actually LR until level 13.) If not using a tome, adjust the starting stats to 15 Str (using the +2 favor tome on str), 13 Dex, 13 Int, 13 Cha. With a +5 or better Supreme tome, I lowered the stats to 13 Str, 10 Dex, 10 Int because I didn't want to delay taking THF although you can lower it to 12 Str if you choose - adjust feats taken as needed.
Con was always taken over Cha. Hitting enemies was never a problem. While this build doesn't do max damage, it is constantly cleaving with Whirlwind at a high threat level.

The skills show a focus on UMD since that is the norm around here, but I actually moved some of those points into Open Lock. This build lacks the Int and skill points to do all rogue abilities, but I found having some Open Lock skills + boost item let me open most doors and locks in the game.
While I took the 3rd Arti level at 13, if I was building for max usage of skills instead of faster AC, I would have taken both the 2nd and 3rd levels much later.

Combat is fairly simple, Spring attack, Intimidate, Whirlwind, Smite Evil in heroics, add special attacks in Epic, rinse repeat. In Heroics, take the HP bonuses in the Paladin Sacred Defender tree then drop them at level 21 when Epic Defensive Fighting is available.

Gearing is simple - farm Feywild with a few key replacements until Epic. (Guardian of the Gates set is an option if you can get all the pieces for the Artifact bonuses) Random loot or crafted gear is an option if it makes sense. I always crunched as much gear for essences just in case.

Heavy Armor - Feywild Plate at level 5 is useful until the Confiscated Heavy Mail from Price of Freedom drops (AC 22 is better than any other armor in Heroic)
Shields - I did Towers but Large can be an option - Bulwark of Snow, Mirrorplate Tower, Sworn Aegis will take you until upper 20s.
Bastard Swords - Looted swords sufficed until Barovian's was available at level 10 as nothing better dropped, then farm Spinner of Shadows for Templar's Retribution which will take you deep into Epics. An alternate sword for Constructs and an alternate weapon for oozes/rust monsters will also be needed.
For Ranged, Combos of Repeating Crossbows with Runearms charging will do the job like Hellfire and Strinati's.

Helm - Crown of Butterflies for the 10MP
Gauntlets - Charged Gauntlets or Gloves of Tranquility, Blurfingered Gloves.
Cloak - Envenomed or Feywild cloak (Autumn preferred)
Belt - Direbear Belt, Bronze Dragonscale Belt
Boots - Feywild, Flightfoot Greaves
Bracers - Feywild, Bracers of the Sun and Moon
Goggles - Precision Lenses + multiple Visors of the Flesh Render Guards if possible
Necklaces - Marguerite's Necklace, Necklace of Bottled Sunlight, Ward-Inscribed Pendant
Rings - Duskbone, Nocturne,Ring of the Dread Seas,
Trinkets - Voice of the Master, Gem of Many Facets (if you want to craft shards), SlaveLords/Five Rings, The Blood Stone/Duskheart

I did the Alchemical +1AC bonus on the Confiscated Heavy Mail. I did not do one on the shield as the ingredient drops needed were rare server wide. Even with farming specific quests I was only able to get enough to craft it once - so I saved it for Epics.

As my Epic life was on the Argo server, this gearset is probably not entirely doable in a single life on hardcore but presented here for a design goal for level 20/21

Weapon: Epic Templar's Retribution - Red Augment Slot:
Offhand: Sworn Aegis - Green Augment Slot:
Armor: Epic Cavalry Plate (level 20) - Blue Augment Slot: Fortification +100 Enhancement (ML 8)
Belt: The Dreadward - Green Augment Slot:
Boots: Epic Firestorm Greaves - Colorless Augment Slot: Master's Gift - Green Augment Slot:
Bracers: Bracers of the Sun and Moon - Green Augment Slot:
Cloak: Epic Envenomed Cloak - Green Augment Slot: Accuracy +15 Competence
Gloves: Silver Sigil Gloves - Green Augment Slot: Dodge +9 Enhancement
Goggles: Drow Smoke Goggles /Magnifying Lens (swap for Open Lock)
Helm: Epic Helm of Frost - Yellow Augment Slot: Feather Falling
Necklace: Epic Siren's Charm - Yellow Augment Slot: - Colorless Augment Slot:
Ring1: Ring of Crystalline Vanity - Blue Augment Slot: Sapphire of Natural Armor +9
Ring2: Epic Ring of the Buccaneer (Level 20) - Upgradeable - Tier:
Trinket: Epic Gem of Many Facets - Crafted Electricity Absorbtion +27%, Insightful Fortification +55%, Shield Bashing +15%, Epic Siren's Ward Epic Might of the Abishai Yellow Augment Slot: Topaz of Melee Power +6


Belegdur Angadris
12/5/3 Fighter/Paladin/Artificer
Lawful Good Purple Dragon Knight


Level Order

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


Stats
. . . . . . . .32pt . . Tome . . Level Up
. . . . . . . .---- . . ----. . .--------
Strength. . . . 13. . . .+8. . . .4: CON
Dexterity . . . 10. . . .+8. . . .8: CON
Constitution. . 17. . . .+8. . . 12: CON
Intelligence. . 10. . . .+8. . . 16: CON
Wisdom. . . . . .8. . . .+8. . . 20: CON
Charisma. . . . 16. . . .+8. . . 24: CON
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28: CON

Skills
. . . . . F. P .A. F. P .A. P .P. F. F. P .F .A. F. F. F. F. F. F. F
. . . . . 1. 2 .3. 4. 5 .6. 7 .8. 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
. . . . .------------------------------------------------------------
Intim . . 4. . . . 3. . . . . .2. 3. 1. 1 .1 . . 2. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 23
UMD . . . . . . 6 . . . .3. . . . . . . . . . 7 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .23
Heal. . . . .4. . . . 2 . . 2 .1. . . . 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Balance . ½. . . . . .1. . .½. 1 .1 . . . .½ . . ½. 1½ 1½ 1½ 1 .½ . . 11
Jump. . . 4. . . . 1. . . . . . . . .2 . . 3. . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Swim. . . 1. . . . . . . . . . . . . 2. . . . . . . . . . . .1 .2 .3 . 9
Haggle. . . . . . . . . .3. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
Perform . . . . . . . . . . 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
Tumble. . 1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
. . . . .------------------------------------------------------------
. . . . .12. 4 .6. 4. 4 .6. 5 .5. 5. 5. 5 .5 .7. 5. 6. 6. 6. 6. 6. 6


Feats

.1. . . . : Force of Personality
.1 PDK. . : Toughness
.1 Fighter: Improved Shield Bash
.3. . . . : Two Handed Fighting
.4 Fighter: Dodge
.6. . . . : Mobility
.9. . . . : Spring Attack
10 Fighter: Combat Expertise
12. . . . : Whirlwind Attack
14 Fighter: Improved Two Handed Fighting
15. . . . : Improved Critical: Slashing
16 Fighter: Greater Two Handed Fighting
18. . . . : Shield Mastery
18 Fighter: Improved Shield Mastery
20 Fighter: Greater Shield Mastery
21 Epic . : Epic Toughness
22 Destiny: Perfect Two Handed Fighting
24 Epic . : Overwhelming Critical
25 Destiny: Perfect Shield Mastery
27 Epic . : Bulwark of Defense
28 Destiny: Deific Warding
30 Epic . : Epic Reflexes
30 Legend : Scion of: Arborea

.2 Deity. : Follower of: Helm


Spells

Paladin

1. Protection from Evil (8)

Artificer

1. . Conjure Bolts* (3), Ablative Armor (3),. .Enchant Armor* (6)
2. .Admixture: Cure Moderate Wounds* (13)

Enhancements (Spent: 80 +1r +1u / Max: 80 +1r +1u AP)

Sacred Defender (39 AP)

• Holy Bastion, Sacred Defense
  1. Improved Sacred Defense: Durable Defense III, Sacred Armor Mastery III
  2. Instinctive Defense II, Bulwark Aura III, Improved Sacred Defense: Inciting Defense III, Sacred Shield Mastery III
  3. Greater Sacred Defense: Tenacious Defense III, Stat: Constitution
  4. Reinforced Defense: Reinforced Armor III, Swift Defense, Greater Sacred Defense: Hardy Defense III
  5. Reinforced Defense: Reinforced Shield III, Harbored by Light I, Divine Revelation II, Sacred Shield

Stalwart Defender (26 AP)

• Toughness, Stalwart Defense, Overbalance
  1. Stalwart Defensive Mastery III, Threatening Countenance II
  2. Stalwart Shield Mastery III, Armor Expertise III, Instinctive Defense II
  3. Shield Expertise III, Stat: Constitution
  4. Reinforced Defense: Reinforced Armor III, Stat: Constitution

Renegade Mastermaker (13 AP)

• Renegade Defender, Alchemical Shield
  1. Cure Light Admixture I, Easily Fixed, Toughness III
  2. Armor Mastery III
  3. Reinforced Armor III

Purple Dragon Knight (3 AP)

• Human Versatility: Saves Boost
  1. Cormyrean Knight Training

Inquisitive (1 AP)

• Inquisitive

Destinies (Spent: 52 (40 +12pdp) / Max: 52 (40 +12pdp) AP)

Unyielding Sentinel (36 AP)

• Unyielding, Ward Against Darkness, Stand Against the Tide
  1. Unyielding Sentinel - Epic Strike: Guard Up, Brace for Impact III
  2. Mantle of the Sentinel, Commanding Presence III, Shield Prowess III
  3. Hands of the Sentinel, Legendary Shield Mastery III, The Rule of Law I
  4. Endless Vigil III, Hardened, Divine Bulwark, The Best Defense III
  5. Strength of Vitality III, Undying Vanguard, Deific Resilience

Divine Crusader (16 AP)

• Just Cause, Confront any Foe, Weather any Blow
  1. Divine Smite III, Shield of Justice II
  2. Endless Smiting II, Bulk Up III, Divine Deflection III

[Belegdur]

Reserved for future

[C-Dog]

Do I see no Proficiency for Bastard Swords? So, Master's Touch (from Arti)?

[Belegdur]

The 1st level of Paladin gives you a Favored By Feat - so choosing Helm gives you
"You follow Helm. You are proficient with bastard swords and gain +1 to hit with them."

[SocratesBastardSon]

It appears you have to buy a +4 STR tome? Your starting STR is 13, but GTHF requires 17. Otherwise, looks interesting. Any thoughts on trapping since you're an Arti and use Tower Shields (reduces potential trap damage because of MRR).

[C-Dog]

It appears you have to buy a +4 STR tome?

The build lists +8 Ability tomes across the board (see Ability section).

Players without tomes could start Str 15, Con 16, and get their free +2 Str tome before they take Level 16, easy enough.

[Belegdur]

It appears you have to buy a +4 STR tome? Your starting STR is 13, but GTHF requires 17. Otherwise, looks interesting. Any thoughts on trapping since you're an Arti and use Tower Shields (reduces potential trap damage because of MRR).

In the writeup above "initially this build had no tomes until level 9... If not using a tome, adjust the starting stats to 15 Str (using the +2 favor tome on str), 13 Dex, 13 Int."

I found Open Lock to be useful even without being maxed because the DCs are often lower. Trapping would require 3 other skills and those need to be maxed or else risking a BOOM (which I might not normally worry about but Hardcore isn't the place to risk going BOOM even once) - which would require a lot more intelligence to be devoted to the build. An endgame build could probably pull it off. I have thought about modifying it to be even more solo capable than it already is. For Hardcore, there's rarely a need for solo, but I often did solo especially in my grinding for certain items or hoping to get a good drop in the TOEEs (both heroic and epic). My Defense at Level was always around 90% because I didn't worry about chasing every last point of dodge or even stats to make it even higher.

[SocratesBastardSon]

What kind of AC/PRR/MRR numbers did you see at various stages? And what do you think someone could reasonably expect (without a big outlay for tomes) in HC? Obviously I'm thinking of using your build, so thanks for making it available!

[DAVIDARC]

I was thinking about a PDK with 2 levels of artificer. However, I am going to straight out steal err follow this build, just to how far I get. My best in Hardcore so far is Level 9 if I remember correctly.

[NemesisAlien]

Why bastard sword and 2 handed fighting? Am I missing something? Bastard sword is single handed.

[SocratesBastardSon]

Why bastard sword and 2 handed fighting? Am I missing something? Bastard sword is single handed.

Bastard Sword, like Dwarven War Axe, can be used with the THF line, but with reduced benefits.

[NemesisAlien]

Bastard Sword, like Dwarven War Axe, can be used with the THF line, but with reduced benefits.

Ah I see, I didnt know, thank you.

[Belegdur]

What kind of AC/PRR/MRR numbers did you see at various stages? And what do you think someone could reasonably expect (without a big outlay for tomes) in HC? Obviously I'm thinking of using your build, so thanks for making it available!

AC was constantly increasing but a very very rough guide would be 10-12x your level. PRR should be at least 25% with the Min level 5 gear and will be at least 50% in Epic. (I was roughly 67% in mid 20s) MRR was always below PRR which is why I always chose MRR with my reaper points. Yes, I did mostly run on R1 in Hardcore Heroic btw as I personally feel safer doing reaper with a good group than elite with a bad pug.
The AC/PRR/MRR should be the highest numbers possible in the game at level.
I never had a Dex bonus that was above my Tower Shield limit. I regularly checked switching out the Tower for a Large Shield - and while Dodge might gain a few points, the overall AC dropped slightly and the PRR/MRR dropped a lot.
Get the fortification augment. Try to keep Fort above 10/level.

My repair bill after running whole series often was 0 or only the Sword or Sword/Shield/Armor. Item Defense enhancements are not needed at all. Guards that damage on being missed are highly recommended - as you will be missed far more than being hit.

If running without any tomes, while HP won't be the highest at game start due to the Con not being maxed out, it will quickly have a standing unbuffed value higher than anyone else in the party because of the level ups and enhancements.

Besides the Bastard Sword/Tower shield combo weapon combo, have a 2 handed option, a Repeating Crossbow/Runearm option, and a Bastard Sword/Runearm option. There are times (like swimming at lower levels or fighting rust monsters) you will want to quickly not be carrying the Tower Shield so be ready.

Good Luck. Stay Alive.

[SocratesBastardSon]

So far at level 8 it's working very well. Will report back in as we advance.