Getting an ethereal/ghost touch item.

[Rattix]

I'm still fairly new to the game. Played for less than a month as a VIP member. I completed a first heroic reincarnation, mostly for the 34 point build, and am getting close to level 20 were I will probably reincarnate again. Or more accurately I'm close to canceling my subscription and never playing again.

In the last week I have ransacked 5 different chests trying to get an ethereal item. I have done several chests looking for a ghost touch item as well. The only ghost touch drop I've gotten is a level 3 dart. Seems like a nice weapon for a character specialized in throwing weapons but is useless for my barbarian. With how reaper works, not having ghost touch/ethereal makes it almost impossible to run them solo and you are virtually worthless in a group. The 5 ransacked chests represent 40 quest runs to get a drop that my character can't really function without. Not to mention the 400+ quests completed with 1 ghost touch item dropping that my character can't use. I could understand 20+ hours of grinding for a key piece of equipment at end game. But 20+ hours of grinding for a piece of equipment that my character can't function without is more than frustrating.

I'm giving it one more run in Ghost of Perdition to get an ethereal item. That will be the ransack mark for the end chest, bringing my ransack total for the week to 6. Then I guess I'll find something else to waste my time on.

[Annex]

Please see the Ethereal page in the DDO Wiki for a full list of items with the Ethereal property.

If you own Saltmarsh, the level 3 Ethereal Ring offers the Ethereal property at a very low level. The fast route through The Final Enemy takes about 7 minutes. Once you have this item, it is a simple matter to upgrade it to the Level 20 and Level 30 versions which is super helpful.

The level 15 and 20 versions of the Ring of the Stalker have the Ethereal property. Since they come from Cannith Challenges, they are a guaranteed earn once you know how to complete the Challenges. The Tier 3 versions of the Stalker rings are especially good. Warning: Cannith Challenges can be very frustrating to learn. Dr. Rushmore's Mansion and Colossal Crystals are particularly troublesome. If one lacks patience, these are best run with a veteran.

The DDO WIki page on Incorporeal lists a number of alternate ways to bypass incorporeal protection.

The Night Revels festival in October offers many useful weapons for bypassing incorporeal defense including the Ruby of Ghostbane. That is a ways off but if you stick with things, definitely pick up some weapons and rubies during that festival. All my melee characters carry at least one Spectral Dagger.

Ghosts of Perdition is an annoying quest and I very much empathize with your frustration.

The Book of Spirits from Housekeeping will also serve as a source of Ethereal from Level 3 but that is another annoying quest.

You did not state what weapon(s) you use so that is about all I can offer.

Many years ago, there was a period when about 25% of all random loot weapons dropped with ghost touch. Players back then derided the developer for doing such a thing and I think he over reacted in the opposite direction. Maybe Lynnabel can adjust the random loot tables to make ghostbane weapons a bit more common. This problem gets mentioned often enough that it probably warrants such an adjustment.

Anyway, if you can, get that Saltmarsh ring. Lynnabel put it there specifically to address this problem and Saltmarsh is great for new players and anyone trying to catch up. Good luck!

[Rattix]

I have read all the information available online about ghost touch/ethereal items and ways to bypass non corporeal creatures. Several of the items you have listed are the ones I've ransacked the chests for. Its not about how to bypass or what items I need to bypass. Its the fact that I have spent over 20 hours in low level quests(not getting xp) farming for an item I must have for my character to be viable. Its absolutely ridiculous that an ability that is that crucial to the current game mechanics isn't available for me to obtain. I did farm the borderlands for the horse and got the basic ghost touch weapon(two handed axe) from the blacksmith. It randomly disappeared around level 8, and no I did not accidentally sell it, used it in an adventure and by the end it was just gone. Over 400 quests completed and I've seen ONE ghost touch item drop, and it was a friggin DART!

This could be a great game. No matter how great the game is without new players it will die. Sadly this situation has killed a new player's will.

[C-Dog]

An ultra-basic Ethereal weapon (of your choice!) is an easy farm in Keep of the Borderlands.

o https://ddowiki.com/page/Morten_Edgewright

ML 1 is only +1, GT and a red slot, but it does the job. ML 20 are more serious.

[Krelar]

An ultra-basic Ethereal weapon (of your choice!) is an easy farm in Keep of the Borderlands.

o https://ddowiki.com/page/Morten_Edgewright

ML 1 is only +1, GT and a red slot, but it does the job. ML 20 are more serious.

This ^

the ingredient you need is a very common drop (if you've run through the area on heroic before you probably already have some.)

[Kayze]

I'm still fairly new to the game. Played for less than a month as a VIP member. I completed a first heroic reincarnation, mostly for the 34 point build, and am getting close to level 20 were I will probably reincarnate again. Or more accurately I'm close to canceling my subscription and never playing again.

In the last week I have ransacked 5 different chests trying to get an ethereal item. I have done several chests looking for a ghost touch item as well. The only ghost touch drop I've gotten is a level 3 dart. Seems like a nice weapon for a character specialized in throwing weapons but is useless for my barbarian. With how reaper works, not having ghost touch/ethereal makes it almost impossible to run them solo and you are virtually worthless in a group. The 5 ransacked chests represent 40 quest runs to get a drop that my character can't really function without. Not to mention the 400+ quests completed with 1 ghost touch item dropping that my character can't use. I could understand 20+ hours of grinding for a key piece of equipment at end game. But 20+ hours of grinding for a piece of equipment that my character can't function without is more than frustrating.

I'm giving it one more run in Ghost of Perdition to get an ethereal item. That will be the ransack mark for the end chest, bringing my ransack total for the week to 6. Then I guess I'll find something else to waste my time on.

Why not wait til later to run reaper? You don't have to run reaper, and running quests at elite or lower will help you get on your feet as a new player.

[Buddha5440]

I have read all the information available online about ghost touch/ethereal items and ways to bypass non corporeal creatures. Several of the items you have listed are the ones I've ransacked the chests for. Its not about how to bypass or what items I need to bypass. Its the fact that I have spent over 20 hours in low level quests(not getting xp) farming for an item I must have for my character to be viable. Its absolutely ridiculous that an ability that is that crucial to the current game mechanics isn't available for me to obtain. I did farm the borderlands for the horse and got the basic ghost touch weapon(two handed axe) from the blacksmith. It randomly disappeared around level 8, and no I did not accidentally sell it, used it in an adventure and by the end it was just gone. Over 400 quests completed and I've seen ONE ghost touch item drop, and it was a friggin DART!

This could be a great game. No matter how great the game is without new players it will die. Sadly this situation has killed a new player's will.

This is not the Troll you're looking for.

[Buddha5440]

Seriously though...just craft one. Get a blank with two augment slots and craft a ghost touch of unnatural bane.

[C-Dog]

Why not wait til later to run reaper? You don't have to run reaper...

True, but lower-level quests on R1 are pretty "soft" for a good build. You can earn a half-dozen Reaper Pts easily (if you're careful), then back off once things start getting dicey in mid-heroics - and that first 6* points gives you 3 uses of your Reaper Damage boost (plus 42 HP) which is handy later when you start running R "for real" at a higher level.

(* 8 pts gives you 4 uses, and/or option for respec'ing most/all into Barricade for an easy +86 (or more) HP once you hit Lvl 9, which is a nice bump)