Hardcore uber-survival build - Elf 9/8/3 Druid/Fighter/Barb

[Thrudh]

Elf 9/8/3 Druid/Fighter/Barbarian

This guy is all defense and survivability... will be playing only elite to 5000 favor. Maybe, maybe, if I make it, TR and then go for reaper xp.
Sword and Board in bear form with a ton of protection from enhancements, druid spells, and fighter feats.
Elf for Displacement Dragonmark.

It's overkill for 80% of the content on elite, but you have to do 90% of the content to get 5000 favor, and in reaper mode, you'll want the extra defense.


Skills, get half-ranks in UMD every level, and build up Jump and Swim and Heal and Spot.

• 1 - Barbarian - Elf Dragonmark (3 charges of Invisible)
• 2 - Barbarian

Spend the first 8 APs in Frenzied Berzerker to get Blood Tribute.
This 150 temp hp is HUGE in the lower levels. 10% movement speed is good too. And Rage of course.

• 3 - Druid - Stunning Blow
• 4 - Druid

At this point you get Bear Form and start using Maul. Put all APs into Nature's Protector.

• 5 - Druid

At 5th level, you get Lesser Restoration (which helps when the Rages wear off and you are fatigued)
With 3 levels of druid, you can finally get Nature's Defense stance which offers a ton of protection.

24 hp with the two cores, 20 PRR and 26 MRR with the stance, Get Beast at Bay Action Boost for a boost of 15 AC and 21 MRR

This is some serious defensive power at level 5, along with the 150 temp hp from Blood Tribute.

• 6 - Druid - Natural Fighting
• 7 - Druid

At this point, with 5 levels of Druid, you have the spells Shred, Maul, Roar... With the enchancements Bloody Claws, Sharp Claws, Savage Roar, you can build up stacks of Killer Instinct very quickly (Maul, then Shred), and then use Savage Roar as a large radius AOE stun.

You also have Cure Moderate Wounds, and Neutralize Poison.

• 8 - Druid
• 9 - Druid - Knight's Training

At this point, with 7 levels of Druid, you have Freedom of Movement, Cure Serious Wounds (replace Cure Moderate with Sleet Storm). Resist Energy gives 20 points of resists at this point too. Continuing up the Nature Protectors enhancement tree, you can cast spells while raging, you're immune to energy drain and death effects (which is huge).

Sleet Storm with FOM is a huge game-changer if you're soloing... Mobs attack 50% slower, and miss you 50% of the time (from blindness).

Course you really won't need that yet... and it's pain with a group, but it's a combo that will be good to have later on in tough quests. It can work with a good group that is willing to use choke points, but you'll also have to cast FoM on everyone.

• 10 - Druid - Dire Bear - and pick up a Longsword from Barovia!! (Do Into the Mists on casual just to get into the area, and get the free weapon).
• 11 - Druid

Going to to 9 levels of druid for the spells Death Ward and Stoneskin, and druids are immune to natural posions at this level.

So at 9/2 Druid/Barbarian, you have the following spells:

• Death Ward
• Freedom of Movement
• Sleet Storm
• Stoneskin
• Neutralize Poison
• Resist Energy (20 points of Resist)
• Jump
• Ram's Might
• Cure Serious Wounds
• Summon Nature's Ally

You can swap to Merfolks and Water Breathing before any underwater quests.

With Nature Protector's enhancements you have:

• Immune to Death Effects and Energy Drain when Raging
• 25% hit points (when using a shield)
• Ton of PRR and MRR and AC

You're missing Shield (for magic missiles) and Protection from Evil (for Command from enemy clerics), but you can scroll these at about 60% chance.


At 12, you have some decisions to make.

Do you want Displacement from the elf enhancement line first or are you are going for Tier 5 Druid enhancements first? Force of Nature is pretty nice, letting you use metal armor and metal Tower Shields. But of course, self-cast displacement is huge. I'd probably go displacement first.


This is also where you switch to fighter levels.

• 12 - Fighter - Extend (if you go Displacement first) or Natural Fighting (if you go Druid Tier 5 first), Improved Critical - Slashing (Fighter Feat)
• 13 - Fighter - Power Attack (This gives double damage for THF AND when you are in animal form, even if you are using Sword and Shield)
• 14 - Fighter
• 15 - Fighter - Extend (if you go Displacement second) or Natural Fighting (if you go Druid Tier 5 second), Tactical Training (+2 to tactics)

So at this point, you have Extended Displacement, along with all the defensive goodness from Nature's Protector and fighter feats. You can wear metal heavy armor and use a Tower Shield without breaking your Druidic Oath

• 16 - Fighter
• 17 - Fighter - Heavy Armor Combatant (+6 PRR and MRR)
• 18 - Fighter - Natural Fighting
• 19 - Fighter - Tactical Combatant (+4 to tactics)

At this point, you're 9/8/2 Druid/Fighter/Barbarian.

Not sure what to take for 20th level... 9th level of fighter doesn't do much. Maybe a 3rd level of Barbarian to open up some enhancements? (or if you are thinking crazy long-term, maybe take the 9th level of fighter so you can get the fighter past-life if you TR).

[Thrudh]

Hit Level 10... got my Barovian Longsword. Man that thing is awesome (especially since I'm still using it in level 6-7 quests).

So far this build has never been in real danger.

The traps in Partycrashers were a little scary, and respawning casters in A Small Problem were super annoying (since this bear build has no good ranged DPS)

But solid so far... And now at level 10, even better... One more level to 11 (9/2 Druid/Bear), where I will gain DeathWard, Stoneskin, and Displacement. He's pretty solid now... wait until I can add those three.

[SouCarioca]

Hit Level 10... got my Barovian Longsword. Man that thing is awesome (especially since I'm still using it in level 6-7 quests).

So far this build has never been in real danger.

The traps in Partycrashers were a little scary, and respawning casters in A Small Problem were super annoying (since this bear build has no good ranged DPS)

But solid so far... And now at level 10, even better... One more level to 11 (9/2 Druid/Bear), where I will gain DeathWard, Stoneskin, and Displacement. He's pretty solid now... wait until I can add those three.

An interesting build, and look forward to your experience with it.

[Thrudh]

Level 12... 400 hp normally, 550+ when raged and with blood tribute on.

Extended Displacement (have 4 of them) lasts about 2:30, same as my rages.

Got 1800 favor, about ready to take 13.

At 13, I'll get another +4 CON (already have +2), and I'll be able to wear heavy armor, any material... Already got a steel plate I found on the auction set aside.

[SouCarioca]

Level 12... 400 hp normally, 550+ when raged and with blood tribute on.

Extended Displacement (have 4 of them) lasts about 2:30, same as my rages.

Got 1800 favor, about ready to take 13.

At 13, I'll get another +4 CON (already have +2), and I'll be able to wear heavy armor, any material... Already got a steel plate I found on the auction set aside.

So how is it playing so far? Any thoughts that come to mind? Have you thought of throwing in a couple of Fighter levels earlier in the leveling for the Heavy Armor? Or would that not be useful? This is a 28-pt build, right? How are the stats distributed?

[Thrudh]

So how is it playing so far? Any thoughts that come to mind? Have you thought of throwing in a couple of Fighter levels earlier in the leveling for the Heavy Armor? Or would that not be useful? This is a 28-pt build, right? How are the stats distributed?

Playing great so far... Traps are the main danger... Casters can be scary. I've skipped a couple of quests that scared me (TOEE part 2 for example, did Slavers Part 3 on hard, etc.).

But I've got Deathward, and Freedom of Movement, and Stoneskin and Displacement and when raging I'm immune to energy drain/negative energy spells (I also wear the silver amulet pendant from Necropolis that has deathblock and the 5 charges to protect against energy drain/negative energy spells - overkill, but extra protection if rage wears off at the wrong time while facing a beholder)

I try to keep Blood Tribute (150 temp hp - 1 min duration) running all the time, but this does drain the CON (-1 CON every time I use it until I rest), but most of the early level quests have a lot of shrines, and I now have a +5 CON item, plus Nature's Protector stance gives me another +6 CON when using a shield

I always have shield equipped in all my hot bar buttons, so I don't accidentally lose that stance (since I'd lose the +6 CON and the 25% hp bonus)

Throwing in fighter levels earlier wouldn't have helped, because a druid can't wear metal armor (or use metal shields) until you get Tier 5 Nature's Protector, which you can't get until level 12.

So I got my first level of fighter at 12 (gives me heavy armor and tower shield proficiency, and I got the Tier 5 Nature's Protector Force of Nature at level 13.

So just now, at level 13, I can finally wear full plate and use tower shields... BIG difference in AC.

I'm walking around with 480 hp (630 with temp hp).
My AC is 55 standing and 72 when I use the Action Boost Beast at Bay (+15 AC and +21 MRR).
PRR is 77, MRR is 59 (80 when boosted)
And I have Displacement from the Elf enhancements.

Just discovered that Power Attack gives +10 to damage if you are in animal form, even if using S&B, so I took that feat for my 2nd fighter bonus feat.

My starting stats were balanced... Probably not a good idea... I thought maybe I might need to take Dodge or Combat Expertise to get Improved Trip, so I put points in DEX and INT and I probably shouldn't have.

STR 15 (+2 tome from 1750 favor went here, and all level ups)
DEX 11
CON 14
INT 13
WIS 12
CHA 8

I probably should have put more in STR and CON and less in Dex and Int and Wis. 2-4 points in CHA would have been nice too for UMD.

I don't regret the INT that much... It does let me keep spot and UMD maxed even while leveling up fighter levels. Spot is pretty nice - its a class skill for druids - I spot most traps at this point (I'm using a +10 spot slavers ring - that also has +18 False Life and +8 Accuracy)

[Thrudh]

At 14, I got to get some more Tier 5 stuff from Nature's Protector

Another +2 CON, and now 30% resistance to Force (which is good - because the one thing I lack is a shield clickable - I have to use scrolls, and a Tower Shield has 50% arcane spell failure.. and taking off the Tower Shield is dangerous (since I lose 6 CON and 25% hp, so I have make sure I'm at full health)

I also got Beast Unleashed which is 25 melee power and 15% to AC.

And I got Lightning Strikes the Mountain, which gives me 40 more MRR for 15 seconds (with 30 second cool-down).

With that and Beast at Bay Action Boost running, I'm around 80 PRR and 130 MRR

So at 14, running level 10 quests on elite, there's not a lot of danger... Still have to be careful around traps, and I notice Freedom of Movement doesn't protect from getting grabbed by Earth Elementals, but the older quests so far haven't come close to killing me.

82 AC boosted, and 700+ hit points raged and with blood tribute.

The new random gear is great... I got an Insight STR +3 and Insight MRR bracers (ML 13), I got a pair of gloves with Stun +7 and Insight CM +3 and a blue slot! (ML 14)

So 14 is rocking and rolling. Huge boost in power.

15 is a smaller boost... I'll finish off the Protectors Stance bonuses by getting another +9 Sacred MRR, plus two feats are nice.

And then after that, the increases in power will be much slower. But the power I already have should easily get me to 19... It's when i have to start running level 18 and level 19 quests at level 19, that the true test will come.

Rock solid build so far.

[SouCarioca]

the one thing I lack is a shield clickable - I have to use scrolls, and a Tower Shield has 50% arcane spell failure.

Enjoying the report, and it motivated me to try a Druid Bear multi of my own, albeit a bit different. Just a comment on the Shield clicky: the easiest by far is the one from Borderlands, a lvl1 quest called Necromancer's Doom, which offers lvl1 gloves with 1 charge.

https://ddowiki.com/page/Shield_(spell)

[Soulfurnace]

Borderlands, a lvl1 quest called Necromancer's Doom, which offers lvl1 gloves with 1 charge.

https://ddowiki.com/page/Shield_(spell)

Korthos. Not borderlands.

[SouCarioca]

Korthos. Not borderlands.

<facepalm> Right. :-)

[cru121]

That clicky is BtC and he cannot enter the quest anymore on the HC server due to server lockout.
But he can grab a Shield wand instead of scroll, wands have no ASF.

[Thrudh]

That clicky is BtC and he cannot enter the quest anymore on the HC server due to server lockout.
But he can grab a Shield wand instead of scroll, wands have no ASF.

Can I buy a Shield wand somewhere or do I have to find it? (or buy it on Auction House)

[SouCarioca]

Can I buy a Shield wand somewhere or do I have to find it? (or buy it on Auction House)

Olvod Alorum <Wand Vendor> in The Marketplace Bazaar - CL1 5 Min Duration 75pp

[Thrudh]

Okay, just hit 16...

Trying to figure out which way to go with Enhancements now.

I have 12 AP in Elf for Displacement
I have 9 AP in Frenzied Berzerker for Blood Tribute
I have 39 AP in Nature's Protector

I have nearly everything good I'd want out of Nature's Protector... I have left +2 STR on the table there, so I could spend 4 AP there.

There's nothing really in Elf that interests me.

I could spend a few points in Frenzied Berzerker to get more STR when raging, and for some extra Action Boosts.

OR... I could start a whole new path...

This guy is Sword and Board... Should I mess around with Vanguard and work towards Stunning Shield? Does Stunning Shield use Strikethrough? Can you hit multiple targets with it?

Or maybe work on Nature's Warrior and work towards 8 AP to get Flight (20% uncapped Dodge bonus for 30 seconds)

Or maybe just spend some points in the other barb trees to get more CON when raging and more Power Attack bonuses.

[SouCarioca]

Okay, just hit 16...

Trying to figure out which way to go with Enhancements now.

I have 12 AP in Elf for Displacement
I have 9 AP in Frenzied Berzerker for Blood Tribute
I have 39 AP in Nature's Protector

I have nearly everything good I'd want out of Nature's Protector... I have left +2 STR on the table there, so I could spend 4 AP there.

There's nothing really in Elf that interests me.

I could spend a few points in Frenzied Berzerker to get more STR when raging, and for some extra Action Boosts.

OR... I could start a whole new path...

This guy is Sword and Board... Should I mess around with Vanguard and work towards Stunning Shield? Does Stunning Shield use Strikethrough? Can you hit multiple targets with it?

Or maybe work on Nature's Warrior and work towards 8 AP to get Flight (20% uncapped Dodge bonus for 30 seconds)

Or maybe just spend some points in the other barb trees to get more CON when raging and more Power Attack bonuses.

Why not either Storm Cleave in FB for CC or some Weapon Bond perks in OS?

[Thrudh]

Why not either Storm Cleave in FB for CC or some Weapon Bond perks in OS?

Not sure what Storm Cleave is... Supreme Cleave? Not really a Crowd Control thing, although it does some good AOE damage.

I only have 2 levels of barbarian currently though.. so enhancements are limited. I could grab a 3rd level, but not sure yet.

[SouCarioca]

Not sure what Storm Cleave is... Supreme Cleave? Not really a Crowd Control thing, although it does some good AOE damage.

I only have 2 levels of barbarian currently though.. so enhancements are limited. I could grab a 3rd level, but not sure yet.

Ah, right. I had started a build inspired by yours, though different, with Dwarf (for CON and the ability to use Dwarven Axes without prejudice - a plus in a world where Randoms will reign) 12 Barb / 8 Druid, and forgot you had gone mostly Fighter in this one. Vanguard doesn't seem to offer much as you won't be striking with shield, and not sure StD will help unless you can use its stances too. Maybe Kensai? Core 3 seems good if not overlapping with anything.

[Thrudh]

Looks like Vanguard shield smash, etc. doesn't work in Animal forms.

So Vanguard is out. I think I'll just spend 8 in Nature's Warrior to get Flight, and then spend the rest grabbing the low-hanging fruit in the barb trees.

[Thrudh]

Hit level 19... 9/8/2 Druid/Fighter/Barbarian

Savage Roar with the tactical bonuses from the Fighter bonus feats lands pretty much 100% (on stunnable mobs - but even on other mobs like undead or plants, it does a fair amount of sonic damage).

It doesn't cause a helpless effect, so no extra damage there, but stunned mobs are not swinging at me. And on hardcore, that's huge.

This build is super-survivable in heroic elite.

Still working on getting to 5000 favor. But so far, no problem. The only danger is getting CCed somehow. Make sure you scroll Protection From Evil so Greater Command from evil clerics doesn't affect you.

I do get caught up by Earth Elemental's Earth Grab now and then. And I've been knocked flat by CometFall.

Those are the only times I ever feel nervous running this build on heroic elite.

[C-Dog]

the one thing I lack is a shield clickab

A couple of these are BtA and easily farmable.

o https://ddowiki.com/page/Shield_(spe...y_item_sources