Video guide to soloing DDO

[GuntherBovine]

I played DDO quite a bit, TRed a toon and then stop playing for a while. Eventually, I got back into the game and TRed my toon a second time. I like doing projects while I play DDO and I've done several. Here is a journal of my first TR. I've done guides on making money and crafting.

So when I saw this A Completionist Goes First Life - A Visual Guide For First Life Soloing thread, I decided to do something similar. I created a new toon, Guntherw, to create a step-by-step guide for soloing through DDO. I intend to go to at least level 20. I try to pass along tips on how to play better while recording the quests. I discuss quite a bit about making money, though I have separate videos where I discuss the auction house (AH) listings. I also have one video on crafting.

These videos are all me soloing through quests. I'm planning on using hirelings only when I need a Charisma or Wisdom rune activated. No gear from other toons or prior lifes. Nothing bought from the DDO store except for one purchase of Old Scully's Grog for 5 TP. I'm going to try to restrict my purchases from the AH and other players to tomes.

I am not a zerger. If you want to see how to get through a quest in the minimum amount of time, watch someone else's videos. I enjoy the challenge of solving a quest, finding everything of value there is to find. Consequently, I disarm every trap, open every secret door, pop every chest, smash every smashable and grab every collectable. To me, zerging is a great way to be broke all of the time and I don't like being broke.

The toon is a Warforged 32 point 18Wiz/2 Rogue build. Here's the build through level 6:

Character Plan by DDO Character Planner Version 4.30.001
DDO Character Planner Home Page

Guntherw1-4 Bovine
Level 6 True Neutral Warforged Male
(1 Rogue \ 5 Wizard) 
Hit Points: 90
Spell Points: 286 
BAB: 2\2
Fortitude: 5
Reflex: 7
Will: 2

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
Abilities        Base Stats          Modified Stats
(32 Point)       (Level 1)             (Level 6)
Strength             14                    16
Dexterity             8                     8
Constitution         18                    18
Intelligence         18                    18
Wisdom                6                     6
Charisma              6                     6

Tomes Used
+1 Tome of Strength used at level 5 \par 
                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
                 Base Skills         Modified Skills
Skills           (Level 1)            (Level 6)
Balance              -1                    -2
Bluff                 4                     2
Concentration         0                     6
Diplomacy             4                     2
Disable Device        4                    13
Haggle                0                    -2
Heal                  0                    -2
Hide                 -1                    -2
Intimidate            4                     3
Jump                 -1                     2
Listen                0                    -2
Move Silently        -1                    -2
Open Lock             4                     3
Perform               n/a                  n/a
Repair                3                     7
Search                4                    13
Spellcraft            0                    14
Spot                  0                    -2
Swim                 -10                   -7
Tumble               -4                    -5
Use Magic Device      4                     2

Level 1 (Rogue)
Skill: Balance (+4)
Skill: Bluff (+4)
Skill: Diplomacy (+4)
Skill: Disable Device (+4)
Skill: Hide (+4)
Skill: Intimidate (+4)
Skill: Jump (+4)
Skill: Move Silently (+4)
Skill: Open Lock (+4)
Skill: Repair (+3)
Skill: Search (+4)
Skill: Tumble (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+4)
Feat: (Selected) Adamantine Body


Level 2 (Wizard)
Skill: Disable Device (+1)
Skill: Search (+1)
Skill: Spellcraft (+2)
Feat: (Wizard Bonus) Augment Summoning
Spell (1): Expeditious Retreat
Spell (1): Repair Light Damage
Spell (1): Summon Monster I
Spell (1): Shield
Spell (1): Jump
Spell (1): Master's Touch
Spell (1): Protection from Evil


Level 3 (Wizard)
Skill: Disable Device (+1)
Skill: Search (+1)
Skill: Spellcraft (+2)
Feat: (Selected) Insightful Reflexes
Spell (1): Nightshield
Spell (1): Niac's Cold Ray


Level 4 (Wizard)
Ability Raise: STR
Skill: Disable Device (+1)
Skill: Search (+1)
Skill: Spellcraft (+2)
Spell (2): Blur
Spell (2): Bull's Strength


Level 5 (Wizard)
Skill: Disable Device (+1)
Skill: Search (+1)
Skill: Spellcraft (+2)
Spell (2): False Life
Spell (2): Summon Monster II


Level 6 (Wizard)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Disable Device (+1)
Skill: Search (+1)
Skill: Spellcraft (+1)
Feat: (Wizard Bonus) Extend Spell
Feat: (Selected) Two Handed Fighting
Spell (3): Heroism
Spell (3): Haste

[GuntherBovine]

I have purchased most of the adventure packs, but I chose to not run several of them. Here are my thoughts on the adventure packs that ran:
Tangleroot Gorge - Huge money maker with its collectables and Visor of the Flesh Render Guards is one of the best quest chain rewards in the game. Sadly, this adventure pack is very repetitive.
Three-Barrel Cove - Primarily for the saga, but all want Free Agent favor. Epic levels is a nice bonus.
Sentinels of Stormreach - Primarily for the saga, but the quests are interesting and different. The Chitin Bracers are essential if you ever want to run a monk, but the rest of the quest chain loot is meh. Epic levels is a nice bonus.


My thoughts on the adventure packs that I didn't run:
The Catacombs - the F2P quests at this level provide plenty of xp, am not a fan of Silver Flame favor and there's no quest chain item that is must have
The Seal of Shan-To-Kor - A boring set of quests with unappealing quest chain items.
The Sharn Syndicate - I like that the quests are short and varied, but don't need quests at that level and the quest chain loot is underwhelming
Phiarlan Carnival - Lots of high-value collectables, but I find the quests too long and the quest chain loot is underwhelming
The Necropolis Part 1 - Meh quests, unexciting quest chain loot and not a fan of Silver Flame favor. Also "Tomb of the Burning Heart" is extremely hard to solo as you need to have bodies on four pressure plates at once
Delera's Tomb - Interesting quests, wide quest range and Voice of the Master is one of the best quest chain items in the game. However, I didn't need the xp at that level
Sorrowdusk Isle - Quests are repetitive and uninteresting; the quest chain loot is very underwhelming
Devil Assault - It's only one quest. As I play solo-only, the Chronoscope raid is of no value
The Temple of Elemantal Evil - I don't have this pack
The Ruins of Threnal - Hold for Reinforcements used to be the most hated quest in DDO. Quests are uninteresting and repetitive. Sadly, the Mantle of the Worldshaper is a wonderful quest chain reward item
The Vault of Night - The quests are too long for my taste and don't have much of a story line. The raid and pre-raid can't be done solo
The Restless Isles - The quests are too long for my taste and don't have much of a story line. The raid and pre-raid can't be done solo

Edit 4/5/16: Moved "Delera's Tomb" from pack I was running to a pack I wasn't

[GuntherBovine]

Level 1
Start and Grotto
The Cannith Crystal
The Storehouse's Secret
Heyton's Rest
The Collaborator

Level 2
Leveling up and Stopping the Sahuagin
Redemption
Necormancer's Doom
Sacrifices
Pre Misery's Peak
Misery's Peak
Welcome to Stormreach
Information is Key
The Miller's Debt
Haverdasher
Arachnophobia
Bringing the Light
How to make money at end of level 2 (at 217 plat)

Level 3
Leveling up
Protect Baudry's Interest
Stop Hazadill's Shipment
Retrieve the Stolen Goods
The Sumggler's Warehouse
How to inscribe a scroll
The Kobold's New Ringleader
Garrison's Missing Pack
Home Sweet Sewer
An Explosive Situation
Making Money Mid Level 3 (at 9.9K plat)
Intro to Crafting
Durk's Got A Secret
Recovering the Lost Tome
Walk the Butcher's Path
Missing in Action
The Sunken Sewer
Making Money End Level 3 (at 62K plat)

Note: I skipped the level 2 "Stealthy Repossession" as this build would be terrible at that quest.

Level 4
Levelling Up
First Strike
The Hobgoblins' Captives
Kobold Assault
The Captives
Where There's Smoke...
The Kobold's Den: Clan Gnashtooh
The Kobold's Den: Rescuing Arlos
Redfang the Unruled
Making Money Mid Level 4 (at 94K plat)
The Swiped Signet
Venn's Trail: Clan Tunnelworm
Venn's Trail: Venn's Fate
Making Money End Level 4 (at 200K plat)

Level 5
Levelling Up
https://youtu.be/J6OdjDjAjhY]Freshen the Air
Irestone Inlet
Yarkuch's War-plans - forgot to record
Whisperdoom's Spawn - forgot to record
The Depths of Despair
The Depths of Darkness
Making Money Mid Level 5 (at 218K)
Rest for the Restless
Proof is in the Poison - died, first death
Prrof is in the Poison - lost video due to a techincal glitch
Heyton's Rest HARD
The Collaborator HARD
The Storehouse's Secret HARD
Archer Point Defense
The Deadly Package: The Stronghold Key and The Deadly Package: Agent of the Darguul
Guard Duty
Making Money End Level 5

[GuntherBovine]

Level 6
Levelling Up
The Stones Run Red
Brood of Flame
The Legend of Two-Toed Tobias
Prove Your Worth
Ghost of a Chance
Making Money Mid-Level 6 (at 485K overall)
The Depths of Discord
The Depths of Doom
The Chamber of Insanity
The Lair of Summoning
Making Money End Level 6 (at 544K overall)

Level 7
Levelling Up
The Troglodytes' Get
Old Grey Garl
Doom of the Witch-doctor: The Way to Zulkash
Doom of the Witch-doctor: Zulkash, Herald of Woe
The Bounty Hunter
Making Money Mid-Level 7 (at 722K overall)
Caged Trolls
Dead Predators
The Forgotten Caverns
Mirra's Sleepless Nights
Redwillow's Ruins
Ruined Halls
Gladewatch Outpost Defense
Purge the Heretics
The Black Loch
The Graverobber
Making Money End Level 7 (at 800K overall)
Swapping Out a Feat

Level 8
I decided to try something different, going full Pale Master. At the end of level 7, I swapped out the Insightful Reflexes feat for Spell Focus: Necromancy. Then I planned to swap out three days later Adamantine Body for Insightful Reflexes. At the end of level 7, I also reset my enhancements so that I could put more Action Points into the Pale Master tree, in particular picking up Shroud of the Vampire. When everything was done, my build would look like:

Character Plan by DDO Character Planner Version 04.29.001
DDO Character Planner Home Page

Level 8 True Neutral Warforged Male
(1 Rogue \ 7 Wizard) 
Hit Points: 96
Spell Points: 375 
BAB: 3\3
Fortitude: 6
Reflex: 9
Will: 3

Level 1 (Rogue)
Feat: (Selected) Insightful Reflexes


Level 2 (Wizard)
Feat: (Wizard Bonus) Augment Summoning


Level 3 (Wizard)
Feat: (Selected) Spell Focus: Necromancy


Level 4 (Wizard)


Level 5 (Wizard)


Level 6 (Wizard)
Feat: (Wizard Bonus) Extend Spell
Feat: (Selected) Two Handed Fighting


Level 7 (Wizard)


Level 8 (Wizard)
Enhancement: Pale Master (Wiz) - Dark Reaping (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Pale Master (Wiz) - Shroud of the Zombie (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Pale Master (Wiz) - Shroud of the Vampire (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Pale Master (Wiz) - Spell Critical: Negative Energy I (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Pale Master (Wiz) - Skeletal Knight (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Pale Master (Wiz) - Skeletal Knight (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Pale Master (Wiz) - Skeletal Knight (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Pale Master (Wiz) - Spell Critical: Negative Energy II (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Pale Master (Wiz) - Corpsecrafter (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Pale Master (Wiz) - Corpsecrafter (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Pale Master (Wiz) - Corpsecrafter (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Pale Master (Wiz) - Spell Critical: Negative Energy III (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Pale Master (Wiz) - Eternal Servitude (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Pale Master (Wiz) - Eternal Servitude (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Pale Master (Wiz) - Eternal Servitude (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Pale Master (Wiz) - Spell Critical: Negative Energy IV (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Pale Master (Wiz) - Dark Furor (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Pale Master (Wiz) - Dark Furor (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Pale Master (Wiz) - Dark Furor (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Eldritch Knight (Wiz) - Eldritch Strike (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Eldritch Knight (Wiz) - Spellsword: Shock (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Eldritch Knight (Wiz) - Toughness (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Eldritch Knight (Wiz) - Toughness (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Eldritch Knight (Wiz) - Toughness (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Eldritch Knight (Wiz) - Battlemage (Rank 1)

Levelling Up
Storm the Beaches
Bargain of Blood
The Tide Turns
The Last Move: The Way to Yarkuch
The Last Move: Yarkuch's Last Stand
The Scoundrel's Run
Quest Chain Rewards, Saga Rewards and Bad Luck
Crafting, Enhancements and Gear

The Shroud of the Vampire wasn't working for me. I swapped out Adamantine Body for Insightful Reflexes and I'll swap out Spell Focus: Necormancy for Maximize. I reset my enhanchments to:

Character Plan by DDO Character Planner Version 04.29.001
DDO Character Planner Home Page

Guntherw8+ Bovine
Level 8 True Neutral Warforged Male
(1 Rogue \ 7 Wizard) 
Level 8 (Wizard)
Enhancement: Warforged - Improved Fortification (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Warforged - Warforged Constitution (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Warforged - Construct Toughness (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Warforged - Great Weapon Aptitude (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Warforged - Great Weapon Aptitude (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Warforged - Great Weapon Aptitude (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Pale Master (Wiz) - Dark Reaping (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Pale Master (Wiz) - Deathless Vigor (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Pale Master (Wiz) - Skeletal Knight (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Pale Master (Wiz) - Skeletal Knight (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Pale Master (Wiz) - Skeletal Knight (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Pale Master (Wiz) - Corpsecrafter (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Pale Master (Wiz) - Corpsecrafter (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Pale Master (Wiz) - Corpsecrafter (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Pale Master (Wiz) - Eternal Servitude (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Pale Master (Wiz) - Eternal Servitude (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Pale Master (Wiz) - Eternal Servitude (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Pale Master (Wiz) - Intelligence (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Eldritch Knight (Wiz) - Eldritch Strike (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Eldritch Knight (Wiz) - Spellsword: Shock (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Eldritch Knight (Wiz) - Toughness (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Eldritch Knight (Wiz) - Toughness (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Eldritch Knight (Wiz) - Toughness (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Eldritch Knight (Wiz) - Battlemage (Rank 1)

Gwylan's Stand
Making Money Mid-Level 8
The Tear of Dhakaan
Taming the Flames - the video was a black screen the whole quest, so I deleted it
The Pit
Quest planning and Rerunning Quests

The Cannith Crytal HARD
Stopping the Sahuagin HARD
Stopping the Sahuagin ELITE
Redemption HARD
Necromancer's Doom HARD

All of my level 1 quests are done to at least Hard, so I will get xp for any quest I run at the next level as long as it is a difficulty I haven't done before.

The low-level quests aren't generating a lot of xp, so I decide to switch over to saga quests:
Irestone Inlet HARD
The Legend of Two-Toed Tobias HARD

I swapped out the feat Spell Focus: Necromancy for Maximize. I meant to do this a while ago, but I remembered when my Siberys Dragonshard Fragments went over 1K.

The Troglodytes' Get HARD
Ghost of a Chance HARD
Making Money End Level 8

Level 9
I took my second Rogue level to get Evasion:

Character Plan by DDO Character Planner Version 4.30.001
DDO Character Planner Home Page

Guntherw8+ Bovine
Level 9 True Neutral Warforged Male
(2 Rogue \ 7 Wizard) 

Level 9 (Rogue)
Skill: Disable Device (+1)
Skill: Open Lock (+3)
Skill: Search (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+8)
Feat: (Selected) Spell Focus: Evocation
Enhancement: Warforged - Improved Fortification (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Warforged - Warforged Constitution (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Warforged - Construct Toughness (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Warforged - Warforged Tactics (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Warforged - Great Weapon Aptitude (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Pale Master (Wiz) - Dark Reaping (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Pale Master (Wiz) - Deathless Vigor (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Pale Master (Wiz) - Deathless Vigor (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Pale Master (Wiz) - Deathless Vigor (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Pale Master (Wiz) - Skeletal Knight (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Pale Master (Wiz) - Skeletal Knight (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Pale Master (Wiz) - Skeletal Knight (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Pale Master (Wiz) - Corpsecrafter (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Pale Master (Wiz) - Corpsecrafter (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Pale Master (Wiz) - Corpsecrafter (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Pale Master (Wiz) - Eternal Servitude (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Pale Master (Wiz) - Eternal Servitude (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Pale Master (Wiz) - Intelligence (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Pale Master (Wiz) - Dark Furor (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Pale Master (Wiz) - Dark Furor (Rank 2)

Levelling Up
Gear at start of level
Haunted Library
Tomb of the Shadow Guard
Tomb of the Shadow King
Tomb of the Shadow Knight
Dealing with space issues
Tomb of the Shadow Lord
Spies in the House
Making Money Mid Level 9
Stormvauld's Mine
Stormcleave Outpost
The Faithful Departed
The Path to Madness
The Path to Madness HARD - I screwed up the start to "The Xorian Cipher" so I had to rerun
The Xorian Cipher
Caverns of Korromar

Now to work on the saga:
Old Grey Garl HARD
The Black Loch HARD
Bargain of Blood HARD

Finishing up:
Making Money End Level 9

[GuntherBovine]

To be added

[GuntherBovine]

To be added

[GuntherBovine]

To be added. Not sure if I'll do these levels or just TR

[GuntherBovine]

To be added. Not sure if I'll do these levels or just TR

[GuntherBovine]

Added level 6 quests. I also decided to not do "Delera's Tomb" as I'm going to get plenty of xp without it.

I'm thinking about adding a section of difficult quests to solo that I didn't run with this toon, such as "Tomb of the Burning Heart", "The Missing Party" and "The Xorian Cipher". Feel free to make any suggestions.

[LittleLexi]

This is a nice little series, particularly for newbies. A couple of good habits to pick up.

I always found it fun to start over, with no twink gear, and just earn your way through the game again. Makes for an interesting challenge. Btw, you can attempt to web the undead on those pressure plates for the Necro 1 quest, but yeah...not easy to pull off hehe.

I remember using your collectable guide back in the day, so thanks for that :P Anyways, welcome back to DDO!

[GuntherBovine]

Added level 7 quests.

This is a nice little series, particularly for newbies. A couple of good habits to pick up.

Thanks!

I always found it fun to start over, with no twink gear, and just earn your way through the game again. Makes for an interesting challenge.

I'm enjoying it. I've got my TR up to level 5, but I'm enjoying this toon much more.

I remember using your collectable guide back in the day, so thanks for that :P

You're welcome. The advice on making money is basically the same in this video series. It's interesting to see the changes in the economy since the last time I did one of my making money guides.

Thanks for your reply. It's nice to have some feedback. I've gotten a couple of comments on the videos. The videos have been watched 300 times for a total of 1204 minutes.

[GuntherBovine]

Added level 8 quests. I did quite a bit of feat and enhancement swapping that level.

[Uska]

Soloing is what is killing ddo but it's probably to,late to,do,anything I tried at the start but was shouted down

[energon9]

Cool thread!

[Uska]

Cool thread!

Its a good guide I just wish it wasn't so easy and common to solo

[Silverleafeon]

+1

[icekinslayer]

difficult quests to solo that I didn't run with this toon, such as "Tomb of the Burning Heart"

A 5tp gold seal, a 10tp gold seal and a normal hireling is enough to complete this quest. I know, it's 15tp, but in a pinch it's super easy to do, and being able to solo bloody crypt for the massive xp gain is totally worth it, imo. YMMV.

[Jordi108]

Best guide ever made about soloing the game.

[Zoogar]

It is great you took the time to make video's on how to solo DDO.

At the same time this is a massively multiplayer online game and the community seems to be so divided up in to small self serving cliques of elitism.
For a new person learning to play the game it is very hard to find good people to run with, unless you start with some friends.

Also to find any worth while gear at lower levels is almost pointless as the random loot is massive pile of garbage and by the time you find anything for that level your character is well beyond it.
sorry that was off topic.

[GuntherBovine]

Its a good guide I just wish it wasn't so easy and common to solo

It is great you took the time to make video's on how to solo DDO.

At the same time this is a massively multiplayer online game and the community seems to be so divided up in to small self serving cliques of elitism.
For a new person learning to play the game it is very hard to find good people to run with, unless you start with some friends.

Yes, it's a MMO, but I don't want to run quests with other players. I play DDO to relax and I don't find trying to have a positive social experience with other players online relaxing. When I've played other MMO's, I've always played them solo. If I had to quest with other players, I just wouldn't play. That's just me. And I think there are plenty of other players out there who are the same.

I don't think I'm hurting DDO. I'm providing money to Turbine every so often to keep the servers and developers going. If I couldn't solo DDO, Turbine wouldn't get a penny from me.

For a new person learning to play the game it is very hard to find good people to run with, unless you start with some friends.

What I try to do in these videos is to provide the kind of information a good guildie would provide. I haven't gotten much feedback on if I'm being successful with that.

Also to find any worth while gear at lower levels is almost pointless as the random loot is massive pile of garbage and by the time you find anything for that level your character is well beyond it.

Watch the videos on making money. I make so much money as I play that I could buy any gear that I wanted. In fact, long ago I stopped buying gear off of the AH and went to mostly self-found with crafting as I was able to buy such good gear off the AH that I was never getting the joy of finding a good item on my own.