Axel's THF Melee Dark Apostate Builds

[axel15810]

Hey all, I wanted to share a few Dark Apostate builds I put together. I'm going to release a video on My Youtube Channel on DA soon which will be covering these builds in more detail. I'll copy this thread over to the new forums when they arrive on 5/3/2023.

The first one is a DA variant of my Standard Silvanus THF Melee Cleric Build. It is similar to what I played recently for a DA epic life. It uses Mauls as favored weapons through Silvanus deity feat line and is meant to be for Iconics - either PDK or Aasimar Scourge. It uses Falconry and is WIS based and is meant to start at level 15 which is why the feat order is the way it is.

The second one is aimed to be 1st life and free to play friendly. I wanted to make an alternative for level 1 starting characters and for free to play players. This build is STR based using Falchions as favored weapons via Faith of the Forest in the Wood Elf tree. 2 fighter for 2 extra feats, haste boost and tactics DCs. The Dark Apostate capstone doesn't do much for this build so splashing is a no brainer. I filled out the heroic enhancements for the Wood Elf build. A little WIS was taken for convenience in hitting required cleric minimum caster levels to cast spells. A little CHA as it will use cleric Divine Might for trance.

Please let me know what you think. Please critique. I want to put some DA melee builds out there for the community. And again, I'll follow up with a video on My Youtube Channel soon.

Build 1 - WIS based Silvanus Maul User - PDK, 36 point


Character name: AxelDarkApostate-PDK
Classes: 20 Dark Apostate, 10 Epic, 2 Legendary
Race: Purple Dragon Knight Alignment: Chaotic Neutral

· · ·Start Tome Final
Str:· · 11· · 8 · ·19
Dex:· · 12· · 8 · ·20
Con:· · 17· · 8 · ·25
Int:· · ·8· · 8 · ·16
Wis:· · 18· · 8 · ·34
Cha:· · ·8· · 8 · ·16
DR:
Immunities:


Class and Feat Selection
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Level Class · · · · · ·Feats
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Level 1 Requires a +1 Heart of Wood to switch out of Iconic Class
1 · · Dark Apostate(1) Standard: Maximize Spell
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Purple Dragon Knight Bonus: Quicken Spell
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Follower of Faith: Favored by Silvanus
2 · · Dark Apostate(2) Domain: War Domain Tier I
3 · · Dark Apostate(3) Standard: Precision
4 · · Dark Apostate(4) Wisdom: +1 Level up
5 · · Dark Apostate(5) Domain Feat: War Domain Tier II
6 · · Dark Apostate(6) Standard: Child of Faith
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Deity: Blessing of Silvanus
7 · · Dark Apostate(7)
8 · · Dark Apostate(8) Wisdom: +1 Level up
9 · · Dark Apostate(9) Standard: Two Handed Fighting
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Domain Feat: War Domain Tier III
10· · Dark Apostate(10)
11· · Dark Apostate(11)
12· · Dark Apostate(12)Standard: Improved Critical: Bludgeoning Weapons
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Wisdom: +1 Level up
13· · Dark Apostate(13)
14· · Dark Apostate(14)Domain Feat: War Domain Tier IV
15· · Dark Apostate(15)Standard: Improved Two Handed Fighting
16· · Dark Apostate(16)Wisdom: +1 Level up
17· · Dark Apostate(17)
18· · Dark Apostate(18)Standard: Greater Two Handed Fighting
19· · Dark Apostate(19)
20· · Dark Apostate(20)Wisdom: +1 Level up
21· · Epic(1) · · · · ·Epic Feat: Overwhelming Critical
22· · Epic(2) · · · · ·Epic Destiny Feat: Perfect Two Handed Fighting
23· · Epic(3) · · · · ·
24· · Epic(4) · · · · ·Epic Feat: Intensify Spell
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Wisdom: +1 Level up
25· · Epic(5) · · · · ·Epic Destiny Feat: Doublestrike
26· · Epic(6) · · · · ·
27· · Epic(7) · · · · ·Epic Feat: Beloved of the Divine
28· · Epic(8) · · · · ·Epic Destiny Feat: Crush Weakness
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Wisdom: +1 Level up
29· · Epic(9) · · · · ·
30· · Epic(10)· · · · ·Epic Feat: Epic Damage Reduction
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Legendary: Scion of Arborea
31· · Legendary(1)· · ·Epic Destiny Feat: Harbinger of Chaos
32· · Legendary(2)· · ·Wisdom: +1 Level up




Build 2 - Wood Elf Falchion, 28 point, 1st life, free to play


Character name: AxelDarkApostate
Classes: 18 Dark Apostate, 10 Epic, 2 Fighter, 2 Legendary
Race: Wood Elf· · · · · · ·Alignment: Chaotic Neutral

· · ·Start Tome Final
Str:· · 16· · 0 · ·26
Dex:· · 10· · 0 · ·10
Con:· · 16· · 0 · ·16
Int:· · ·6· · 0 · · 6
Wis:· · 12· · 0 · ·12
Cha:· · 12· · 0 · ·12
DR: 5\-
Immunities: Sleep

Special Feats
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fury of the Wild
Legendary Dreadnought
Unyielding Sentinel


Class and Feat Selection
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Level Class · · · · · ·Feats
1 · · Dark Apostate(1) Standard: Power Attack
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Follower of Faith: Follower of the Sovereign Host
2 · · Fighter(1)· · · ·Fighter Bonus: Two Handed Fighting
3 · · Fighter(2)· · · ·Standard: Weapon Focus: Slashing Weapons
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Fighter Bonus: Stunning Blow
4 · · Dark Apostate(2) Domain: War Domain Tier I
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Strength: +1 Level up
5 · · Dark Apostate(3)
6 · · Dark Apostate(4) Standard: Child of Faith
7 · · Dark Apostate(5) Domain Feat: War Domain Tier II
8 · · Dark Apostate(6) Deity: Unyielding Sovereignty
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Strength: +1 Level up
9 · · Dark Apostate(7) Standard: Improved Two Handed Fighting
10· · Dark Apostate(8)
11· · Dark Apostate(9) Domain Feat: War Domain Tier III
12· · Dark Apostate(10)Standard: Improved Critical: Slashing Weapons
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Strength: +1 Level up
13· · Dark Apostate(11)
14· · Dark Apostate(12)
15· · Dark Apostate(13)Standard: Quicken Spell
16· · Dark Apostate(14)Domain Feat: War Domain Tier IV
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Strength: +1 Level up
17· · Dark Apostate(15)
18· · Dark Apostate(16)Standard: Greater Two Handed Fighting
19· · Dark Apostate(17)
20· · Dark Apostate(18)Strength: +1 Level up
21· · Epic(1) · · · · ·Epic Feat: Overwhelming Critical
22· · Epic(2) · · · · ·Epic Destiny Feat: Perfect Two Handed Fighting
23· · Epic(3) · · · · ·
24· · Epic(4) · · · · ·Epic Feat: Maximize Spell
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Strength: +1 Level up
25· · Epic(5) · · · · ·Epic Destiny Feat: Doublestrike
26· · Epic(6) · · · · ·
27· · Epic(7) · · · · ·Epic Feat: Beloved of the Divine
28· · Epic(8) · · · · ·Epic Destiny Feat: Crush Weakness
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Strength: +1 Level up
29· · Epic(9) · · · · ·
30· · Epic(10)· · · · ·Epic Feat: Epic Damage Reduction
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Legendary: Scion of Arborea
31· · Legendary(1)· · ·Epic Destiny Feat: Harbinger of Chaos
32· · Legendary(2)· · ·Strength: +1 Level up


Enhancements: 80 APs
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wood Elf - Points spent: 12
Core1 Accuracy I
Core2 Nature I: +1 Strength
Tier1 Weapon Training I
Core3 Accuracy II
Core4 Nature II: +1 Strength
Core5 Accuracy III
Tier2 Weapon Training II
Tier3 Forest Origins: Faith of the Forest
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dark Apostate - Points spent: 38
Core1 Dark Apostate
Tier1 Apostate's Curse
Tier1 Shadowy Bulwark - 3 Ranks
Tier1 Apostate's Skills - 3 Ranks
Core2 Shadow Shrouding
Tier2 Enhanced Curse I
Tier2 Prayer
Tier2 Dark Rewards - 3 Ranks
Core3 Enhanced Shadowform I
Tier3 Enhanced Curse II
Tier3 Pray for Mercy
Core4 Enhanced Shadowform II
Tier4 Blessing of the Shadow - 3 Ranks
Tier4 Enhanced Curse III
Tier4 Return to Dusk
Tier5 Ultimate Heresy
Tier5 Shadows of Death
Tier5 Ward of Shadow
Tier5 Benediction
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Warpriest - Points spent: 14
Core1 Smite Foe: Smite Foe (Melee)
Tier1 Divine Might - 3 Ranks
Tier1 Toughness - 3 Ranks
Core2 Resilience of Battle
Tier2 Wall of Steel - 3 Ranks
Tier3 Magic Backlash - 3 Ranks
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kensei - Points spent: 16
Core1 Kensei Focus: Kensei Focus: Heavy Blades
Tier1 Action Boost: Haste Boost - 3 Ranks
Tier1 Extra Action Boost - 3 Ranks
Tier2 Tactics - 3 Ranks
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[axel15810]

Reserved.

[unbongwah]

The second one is aimed to be 1st life and to be relatively free to play friendly. I wanted to make an alternative for level 1 starting characters and for free to play players. And it is entirely free to play, except for being Warforged race but this race can be unlocked fairly quickly by achieving 400 favor on any character on the same server.

Wood elf Dark Apostate can be fully F2P; take Faith of the Forest to make falchions into Favored weapons. Also saves a feat (Adamantine Body) and lets you take any Eberron deity you want.

[axel15810]

Wood elf Dark Apostate can be fully F2P; take Faith of the Forest to make falchions into Favored weapons. Also saves a feat (Adamantine Body) and lets you take any Eberron deity you want.

Good thought, a concern I have is that per the ddowiki description for cleric Faith of the Forest only counts Falchions as favored weapon for the warpriest tree. Based on a Steelstar quote I'm finding from google my guess is that's probably not accurate though and it'll likely work with DA enhancements. Can you or anyone else confirm? If yes this is a better THF for true free to play folks. Only other free to play THF weapon you can get favored in heroics is quarterstaves through Aureon. Maybe staves aren't that bad these days, I just don't have recent experience leveling with them. Warforged LoB with a SoS/ESoS would be my preference though.

From the wiki -

"Faith of the Forest: You now count Rapiers, Falchions, and Shortbows as Favored weapons, regardless of your Deity, for the purpose of everything in the Warpriest tree, the War Soul tree, Favored Soul Grace of Battle, and Favored Soul Knowledge of Battle."

[unbongwah]

I didn't confirm it works with everything but at least it works with Apostate's Curse.

[axel15810]

I didn't confirm it works with everything but at least it works with Apostate's Curse.

Ok great thanks, it should work with everything in the tree then.

[axel15810]

OK, original post updated. Changed the free to play build to Wood Elf Falchion user. Considered 1 warlock level in addition, which essentially comes down to Max +20 melee power on Arcane Warrior stacks for 17/2/1 vs. 15% helpless damage and 1 Dark Apostate dice for the 18/2. I know the forums are being closed out and moved in a few days. I'll copy both of my cleric build threads over to the new forum when it happens.

Edit: I decided on 18DA/2 fighter for the Wood Elf build for simplicity for new players/helplessness via Crush Weakness/level 18 Dark Apostate core.