An ideal favor-grinding/secret-unlocking character build for newbs

[Wdstudios]

The following build is optimized for three priorities:

1) Be 100% free-to-play, with the possible exception of 32-point build;
2) Pick every lock, find every trap, activate every rune, smash every crate and barrel, and DO ALL THE THINGS, within the constraints of priority #1
3) Do as much dps as possible at low levels, within the constraints of priorities 1 and 2



During character-creation:

- choose human as race
- choose rogue as STARTING class
- stats should include ~16 str, ~12 dex, EXACTLY 15 int, and 14-16 wis. Raising con from 8 to 10 is fine if you have points left over that you don't know what to do with, but don't put anything into cha.
- The exact order in which you take feats isn't super duper critical, but you'll want 2h Fighting, Power Attack, Weapon Focus: Slashing, Alertness, and Nimble Fingers in the mix eventually. Taking Power Attack during character-creation saves you the trouble of manually rearranging your action bar later.
- For skills, your priorities are Spot, Search, Open Lock, and Disable Device. Beyond that, your skill selections aren't enormously important, but Repair and all of the Charisma-based skills are worthless (except Use Magic Device) so you shouldn't put any points into them ever. Also avoid non-class skills (the ones with * after their names). You can put a few points into Jump and Swim but don't max them out; you'll have plenty of opportunity to max them out later.


Your first four levels:
- Depending on whether you do the Grotto questline or not, you'll have the opportunity to pick up either two or three Great Axes by the time you hit level 2. Get at least one of them. If you get the Rusty one, then replace it with one of the other two when you get the chance. Disregard your lack of proficiency for now.
- Put your first four Action points into your Human perk tree: use your first to take the Action Surge that gives you +2 to all skills, then spend the next 3 to get +3 intelligence every time you use an Action Surge.
- When you level up, multiclass into Fighter and take half of all future levels in that.
- Fighter skill points should be spent on Jump and Swim.
- Choose the Troubleshooter's necklace and goggles as your quest rewards for freeing whats-her-name and destroying the Mindsunder artifact.
- When you hit level 4, take +1 strength, then invest an action point into the human perk that gives +1 to an ability score of your choice. Choose strength for that one too.
- Save Durk's Got a Secret and The Butcher's Path for after you hit level 4

How it works:

- Rogues are the only free-to-play class that can spend skill points on Disable Device, so you'll want at least one level in Rogue eventually. Due to a quirk in how paper D&D rules got translated into DDO, your health pool is the same regardless of whether you take Rogue first and Fighter second or vice versa, but taking Rogue first provides you with a hell of a lot more skill points.
- Your first level of Fighter will fix your lack of proficiency with great axes.
- During the first few levels of the game, the absolute fastest, easiest, most efficient way to kill things is with a two-handed melee weapon, a high strength score, and plenty of Fighter bonus feats. You'll also need high strength for opening some valves and locked doors, which translates into more treasure chests, more loot, more experience, and faster leveling.
- Some of the benefits of having over 12 dexterity are lost on characters who wear full plate armor, which your first level of Fighter will grant proficiency with.
- Characters in DDO have much larger health pools than in paper D&D, but you still only get 1 HP per level per +1 con modifier, so your con score's overall impact on your health pool is much smaller than in paper D&D. That's why con just isn't very important.
- You'll need up to 18 intelligence for activating some runes (which again translates into more secret areas and faster leveling), but you don't need it all the time. You only need it when you come across these runes that need activating. Your Action Surges will boost your int from 15 to 18, which is why the Human perk tree is needed. This intelligence boost will also temporarily improve your Search skill.
- The importance of Search, Spot, Disable Device, and Open Lock should be obvious, as should the importance of anything that boosts those skills, like the Troubleshooter's set and a high wisdom score. The Rogue perk trees have some low-hanging fruit that can be useful here. Some runes also require a decent wisdom score to activate.
- After hitting level 4, you'll have 18-20 str and the ability to boost your int from 15 to 18, which is enough to activate all of the secrets in the Butcher's Path and Durk's Got a Secret
- As you keep spending fighter skill points on Jump and Swim, they will eventually catch up to their level caps. When that happens, feel free to take another level in Rogue or branch out into a third class (probably Cleric for self-heals)

If you create a character like this on each of the game's 8 servers, and grind up to 200 Favor on each of those characters, you'll have an arse ton of free DDO points to play with. Then you can actually start playing the game

[C-Dog]

Favor running for 125 (or more) DDO Points/new server is, indeed, a great way to earn free DDO Points, AND get used to the game. With 8 Servers (9 if/when Hard Core is both active and open to your Account type), that's 1,000 (or more) easy and fast. AND You can tour the servers, see if you like one over the others (they can have diff personalities), and, if you really want, test run different builds (altho', for speed, that's not always advised).

And speaking of "speed of earning favor", which is really the only priority for a favor runner...

Raising con from 8 to 10 is fine if you have points left over...
... Alertness, and Nimble Fingers in the mix eventually.
... all of the Charisma-based skills are worthless (except Use Magic Device)

- Put your first four Action points into your Human perk tree... spend the next 3 to get +3 intelligence every time you use an Action Surge.
... Fighter skill points should be spent on Jump and Swim...
... your con score's overall impact on your health pool is much smaller than in paper D&D. That's why con just isn't very important.
- You'll need up to 18 intelligence for activating some runes (which again translates into more secret areas and faster leveling)...

...I gotta say, for a new player, I pretty much hate everything suggested above, individually and certainly taken together, and on so many levels.

And that's because, mixed with all the stuff above that's bad advice for a favor runner, the one quote below is all you need to worry about...

During the first few levels of the game, the absolute fastest, easiest, most efficient way to kill things is with a two-handed melee weapon, a high strength score, and plenty of Fighter bonus feats.

The "more optionals = more loot = faster leveling" premise is simply false. 95% of optionals simply slow you (way!) down, trapping is not necessary (when it can be found) in The Harbor, and "more loot" on a favor runner on an alt-server is wasted effort. Trapping does give you up to(!) +30% base XP, but leveling from 1-4 is so fast* you simply don't need it.

(* You're Level 2 before you get out of Korthos Village (any traps in there won't change that), and Level 3 before you hit The Harbor (similarly) - and you're good to go.)

I recommend something that both runs and kills quickly, not worrying about trapping or waiting to get Proficiency with the weapons you want to use - see this for a couple suggestions:

o https://ddowiki.com/page/Guide_to_Fr...mple_DP_Runner

o Note - If you want to "explore" (aka "smell the flowers"), do it on your home server, where you can keep any nice loot you find. Finding something amazing on a secondary server just sucks, trust me.

[Wdstudios]

It takes a whole 5 seconds to open a locked door, kill the uber-troglodyte inside, and loot the chest. Out of the several minutes that it takes to run a dungeon, that's a pretty good deal.

[dredre9987]

During character-creation:

- choose human as race
- choose rogue as STARTING class
- stats should include ~16 str, ~12 dex, EXACTLY 15 int, and 14-16 wis. Raising con from 8 to 10 is fine if you have points left over than you don't know what to do with, but don't put anything into cha.
- The exact order in which you take feats isn't super duper critical, but you'll want 2h Fighting, Power Attack, Weapon Focus: Slashing, Alertness, and Nimble Fingers in the mix eventually. Taking Power Attack during character-creation saves you the trouble of manually rearranging your action bar later.
- For skills, your priorities are Spot, Search, Open Lock, and Disable Device. Beyond that, your skill selections aren't enormously important, but Repair and all of the Charisma-based skills are worthless (except Use Magic Device) so you shouldn't put any points into them ever. Also avoid non-class skills (the ones with * after their names). You can put a few points into Jump and Swim but don't max them out; you'll have plenty of opportunity to max them out later.


Your first four levels:
- Depending on whether you do the Grotto questline or not, you'll have the opportunity to pick up either two or three Great Axes by the time you hit level 2. Get at least one of them. If you get the Rusty one, then replace it with one of the other two when you get the chance. Disregard your lack of proficiency for now.
- Put your first four Action points into your Human perk tree: use your first to take the Action Surge that gives you +2 to all skills, then spend the next 3 to get +3 intelligence every time you use an Action Surge.
- When you level up, multiclass into Fighter and take half of all future levels in that.
- Fighter skill points should be spent on Jump and Swim.
- Choose the Troubleshooter's necklace and goggles as your quest rewards for freeing whats-her-name and destroying the Mindsunder artifact.
- When you hit level 4, take +1 strength, then invest an action point into the human perk that gives +1 to an ability score of your choice. Choose strength for that one too.
- Save The Butcher's Path for after you hit level 4

How it works:

- Rogues are the only free-to-play class that can spend skill points on Disable Device, so you'll want at least one level in Rogue eventually. Due to a quirk in how paper D&D rules got translated into DDO, your health pool is the same regardless of whether you take Rogue first and Fighter second or vice versa, but taking Rogue first provides you with a hell of a lot more skill points.
- Your first level of Fighter will fix your lack of proficiency with great axes.
- During the first few levels of the game, the absolute fastest, easiest, most efficient way to kill things is with a two-handed melee weapon, a high strength score, and plenty of Fighter bonus feats. You'll also need high strength for opening some valves and locked doors, which translates into more treasure chests, more loot, more experience, and faster leveling.
- Some of the benefits of having over 12 dexterity are lost on characters who wear full plate armor, which your first level of Fighter will grant proficiency with.
- Characters in DDO have much larger health pools than in paper D&D, but you still only get 1 HP per level per +1 con modifier, so your con score's overall impact on your health pool is much smaller than in paper D&D. That's why con just isn't very important.
- You'll need up to 18 intelligence for activating some runes (which again translates into more secret areas and faster leveling), but you don't need it all the time. You only need it when you come across these runes that need activating. Your Action Surges will boost your int from 15 to 18, which is why the Human perk tree is needed. This intelligence boost will also temporarily improve your Search skill.
- The importance of Search, Spot, Disable Device, and Open Lock should be obvious, as should the importance of anything that boosts those skills, like the Troubleshooter's set and a high wisdom score. The Rogue perk trees have some low-hanging fruit that can be useful here. Some runes also require a decent wisdom score to activate.
- After hitting level 4, you'll have 18-20 str and the ability to boost your int from 15 to 18, which is enough to activate all of the secrets in the Butcher's Path
- As you keep spending fighter skill points on Jump and Swim, they will eventually catch up to their level caps. When that happens, feel free to take another level in Rogue or branch out into a third class (probably Cleric for self-heals)

If you create a character like this on each of the game's 8 servers, and grind up to 200 Favor on each of those characters, you'll have an arse ton of free DDO points to play with. Then you can actually start playing the game

This is definitely NOT a good build for what you propose.

[Syrrah]

This is definitely NOT a good build for what you propose.

I kind of agree with this although I understand what OP is going for. The rogue/fighter mix is OK for absolute new players as it also gives a better chance to learn the early quests.

Once you know a quest, you just want to complete it as fast as possible. For that purpose, the best build is probably a human barbarian with power attack and dragon mark of passage (for speed clicky - I skip Korthos completely). If you do Korthos and take the speed-clicky boots, then 2 handed fighting or weapon focus instead of the dragonmark. Any further levels can go in fighter and/or more barbarian, but to be honest I rarily make it past level 2 or simply don't bother taking further levels.

Stats: jump, swim, balance and heal in that order.
Max strength, then con, rest in dexterity.

And take any oportunity to leech if you see an LFM up in your level-range.

[Wdstudios]

This is definitely NOT a good build for what you propose.

It is. You're just mistaken about exactly what I propose.

It's not a strict favor-grinding build. It's a favor-grinding and secret-unlocking build. That's a huge distinction.

[C-Dog]

It takes a whole 5 seconds to open a locked door, kill the uber-troglodyte inside, and loot the chest.

Hyperbole adds nothing to an intelligent discussion. Just sayin'.

It's not a strict favor-grinding build. It's a favor-grinding and secret-unlocking build. That's a huge distinction.

It's really not a "favor grinding" build at all - it earns favor while unlocking secrets, that's entirely different. But any build can say that.


Now, as a "Safe Build to go Exploring with for New Players" - sure, I can get behind the concept - but then I'll take exception to spending Feats for Trapping as totally unnecessary. With decent droploot/Korthos trapping gear (+Int, +Search, +Disable) and some few AP's in the right trees, you're good to go, and your few Feats can be spent on keeping the newbie alive, which should be the primary goal.


This is what I'd suggest...

(EDIT - The build below is only to Level 4, which gets you through The Harbor and maybe some Level 3(+) quests. For a parallel build to 20, see this thread: https://www.ddo.com/forums/showthrea...=1#post6478779)

Summary: This is a low-level killing machine with great run speed out of the box, for both in-quest and running around the public map. With only the gear you start with, it will crush Korthos (and be Level 3 by the time you're done with that), and then Keep on the Borderlands and The Harbor as well (for ~260 Favor, if you do everything). With the Human Skills Boost (5 uses of +4 to skills) plus Korthos trapping gear (guaranteed from the quests Sacrifices and Misery's Peak), it can no-fail trap all those (and possibly Level 3's like Redfang and Swiped Signet!)

It has no self-healing*, and is not recommended to level much past 4; there are better builds for that (see the "Edit" above!), but you could keep taking Fighter 2 at Level 5 (for the Great Cleave feat) and then Rogue 3 at Level 6 (to keep up Trapping) and and limp through to Level 5-6 and 500 favor if you really wanted to struggle through.

(* besides Starter Cure Light Wound potions, available cheap at the foot of the dock in south Harbor, or a healer Hire (same area), highly recommended!)

Newbie Explorer
2/1/1 Rogue/Barbarian/Fighter
True Neutral Human


Level Order

1. Rogue
2. Barbarian
3. Fighter
4. Rogue


Stats
. . . . . . . .28pt . . Level Up
. . . . . . . .---- . . --------
Strength. . . . 18. . . .4: STR
Dexterity . . . .8
Constitution. . 14
Intelligence. . 14
Wisdom. . . . . .8
Charisma. . . . .8. . .


Skills
. . . . . R. B .F. R
. . . . . 1. 2 .3. 4
. . . . .------------
Disable . 4. 1 .1. 1. .7
Search. . 4. 1 . . 2. .7
Spot. . . 4. 1 .1. 1. .7
Jump. . . 4. 1 .1. 1. .7
Open Lo . 4. . . . . . 4
Balance . 4. . . . . . 4
Hide. . . 4. . . . . . 4
Move Si . 4. . . . . . 4
Swim. . . 4. . . . . . 4
Tumble. . 4. . . . . . 4
Haggle. . 4. . . . . . 4
. . . . .------------
. . . . .44. 7 .5. 5
Max . . .44. 7 .5 11


Feats

.1. . . . : Power Attack
.1 Human. : Least Dragonmark: Passage
.3. . . . : Two Handed Fighting
.3 Fighter: Cleave


Enhancements (16 of 16 AP)

Frenzied Berserker (4 AP)

• Die Hard
  1. Die Harder III

Kensei (4 AP)

• Kensei Focus: Axes
  1. Attack Boost III

Ravager (4 AP)

• Furious Rage
  1. Barbarian Power Attack III

Mechanic (3 AP)

• Arbalester
  1. Sharpshooter

Human (1 AP)

• Skills Boost

Leveling Guide

1. Hum0 Skills Boost; (Bank 3 AP)
2. Rav0 Furious Rage; Rav1 Barbarian Power Attack I, II, III; FB0 Die Hard; (Bank 2 AP)
3. Ken0 Kensei Focus: Axes; Ken1 Attack Boost I, II, III; Mec0 Arbalester
4. Mec1 Sharpshooter; FB1 Die Harder I, II

Advantages:

o DM of Passage = fast out of the gate for Korthos; don't have to (slowly) re-run Sacrifices for Expeditious Retreat Boots (since you'll be taking the Troubleshooter Goggles for trapping)

o 18 Str w/ Barb AP's = +8 more damage/hit than OP's suggestion; By end of Level 3, that moves to +16/ with Kensai boost. Overkill is fun.

o Better Saving Throws across the board.

o Human Versatility Skill Boost = +4 to Trapping skills (and any/all other skills), which, w/ +3 Korthos trapping gear, is more than enough for no-fail in early Heroics (e.g. The Harbor etc). Also means he can actually trap Korthos, which the build in the OP can't.

o Doesn't need Lvl 4 - can crush mobs and traps in Harbor at Lvl 3, np.

o Teaches how to use Boosts (Kensai +8, Rage), but doesn't rely on them for damage. Boosts are there for important/end fights.

Disadvantages:

o If you want to spend the time to find/solve every last corner of Butcher's Path, bring a Lvl 1 Wizard hire, dismiss when he's activated the runes, done.

Notes/Gear:

o Skills: For Level 4, take whatever you like. You can re-roll Open Lock tries until you roll high, so you don't ~need~ that maxed. If you want to play with Hide/Move Silently, max those skills and keep an eye out for some items that boost those skills!

o Be sure to open your Character Sheet ("c"), and from the Feats tab drag/drop Power Attack to your hotbar, and turn it on! ALSO, every time you "update" PA w/ Barbarian PA, re-apply the upgraded version to your hotbar - +4 damage will not automagically upgrade the old hotlink even if you upgrade your Enhancement!

o If you find a good Great Sword, you can change the Kensai focus to "Great Blades" - or don't worry about it. It's only a +1 to hit, and should never be needed on this build.

o Run Misery's Peak (end of Korthos chain) and take the Troubleshooter's Necklace, and wear that (for the +1 to Saving Throws!). This, along with the Troubleshooter Goggles (which can be swapped out if you want to hassle that*), will be your starting Trapping gear, and (along w/ your Human skill Boost) is everything you need for traps in The Harbor.
* Note that wearing them gives you +3 to Spot, which means you'll be warned when you approach a trap. Just react fast and don't run into it! ;D

NOTE: You MUST wear both Troubleshooter's items to get the "set bonus", which is where your +3 Disable Device comes from. You can miss a DD roll by up to 4 and simply "fail" and can roll again, but missing by -5 or more is "bad". )

o Keep an eye out for +Str (combat), +Con (general survival) and (for trapping) +Int items. Also +Damage items, and Fortification armor. (You can wear Plate armor, it doesn't penalize trapping in DDO, and is better than lighter forms.)

o For Level 4 Enhancements, you can actually take whatever looks good. "Arbalester" allows you to use the Great Crossbow from Collaborator, which is unnecessary, but a nice fun ranged addition to the build, and "Sharpshooter" adds +1d6 Sneak Attack to your crossbow attack, a strong way to start any long-distance relationship. "Die Harder" makes it even harder to fall down - but if you see something else that looks fun, go for it. You're already a killing machine, the rest is gravy. (mmmm, gravy... )

[AebroKomatme]

You don’t get extra favor for doing optionals in quests.

If you’re really all about building favor quickly, you’re doing it wrong.

[C-Dog]

If you’re really all about building favor quickly, you’re doing it wrong.

He's not about that, he said as much very clearly 2 posts up.

[AebroKomatme]

He's not about that, he said as much very clearly 2 posts up.

I was replying to the original post, as I didn’t see his reply further down the thread.

[Saekee]

with 2 barb and blood tribute you can run through traps, skip all healing needs and be invincible
I would do level 3 wiz for some spells and free cleave, invisi sla

[jskinner937]

with 2 barb and blood tribute you can run through traps, skip all healing needs and be invincible
I would do level 3 wiz for some spells and free cleave, invisi sla

This.

What is secret unlocking in DDO? Am I missing some special privilege?

[C-Dog]

This...

...works great for Favor Running, not so great for what the OP was aiming for.

What is secret unlocking in DDO? Am I missing some special privilege?

aka Flower Sniffing, at some level. The OP's build (and mine) are targeted at new players who want to "unlock" (literally and figuratively) every secret, poke their nose in every corner.

And no, agreed, it's not "favor running" at all, it simply earns favor as a by-product of exploring.

[C-Dog]

Someone asked for a Level 20 version of this concept - posted here.

[Enderoc]

Weapon Focus Slashing?
I would say toughness if you are suggesting con is a dump stat...
If you are a first time player...toughness...trust me. Until you get tomes, physical resistance, fortification, and other defense items...remember you are the rogue...it's do or die getting those traps and the only thing you got to depend on if you do not have great gear is hit points, luck, and evasion lol

[dredre9987]

It is. You're just mistaken about exactly what I propose.

It's not a strict favor-grinding build. It's a favor-grinding and secret-unlocking build. That's a huge distinction.

Still NOT a good build for what you propose.

[fmalfeas]

I suggest that you do this just enough to get enough TP to unlock Artificer, and then simply use straight Arti. The only way it's weaker is lack of evasion, and is stronger for exploration otherwise.

This is also because first life, no tomes, mediocre to bad gear...it can be absolutely unforgiving to a rogue. Particularly if you're trying to do elite, where the DCs basically assume maximum Resistance and maximum disable device bonus.

Arti can go with PRR/MRR instead of evasion much more readily (especially if warforged, since Adamantine body is fine) is better in a fight when alone without needing specific gear pieces, and can self-heal without the (to a new player) ruinously expensive scrolls.

[Wdstudios]

remember you are the rogue...

This build only uses one level of rogue.

Still NOT a good build for what you propose.

I'd like to see a better one.

I suggest that you do this just enough to get enough TP to unlock Artificer, and then simply use straight Arti.

Unfortunately I had neither the time to waste grinding favor/DDO points nor the cold hard cash to spend on buying Arti just to experiment with it and see if it was something I actually wanted.

This is also because first life, no tomes, mediocre to bad gear...it can be absolutely unforgiving to a rogue.

This build only uses one level of rogue.

[C-Dog]

This build only uses one level of rogue.

What's your point? One level is all a trapper needs. (Welcome to DDO, btw)

I'd like to see a better one.

Since skimming a one-page thread before blustering away seems not in your repertoire, here is what you ask for, hidden just a few posts up.

Unfortunately I had neither the time to waste grinding favor/DDO points nor the cold hard cash to spend on buying Arti just to experiment with it and see if it was something I actually wanted.

It's not hard to earn your first 1,500 DP or so (or more) simply by "playing the game". As for "experimenting", how else will you ever know other than by it or take veterans' word for it?

(Altho', for new players, it's far more recommended to save up DP and buy content rather than races/classes/trees/bells and whistles. More content = more Favor = more DP, and it pays for itself. That, and a Shared Bank. The others can come later, when On Sale.)

This build only uses one level of rogue.

(okay, I'll play along...)

What's your point? One level is all a trapper needs. (Welcome to DDO, btw)

[KoobTheProud]

If you're new there is one other thing I'd highly recommend: https://store-new.standingstonegames...special-offers

The $9.99 purchase includes a Lvl 3 permanent Cleric hireling and also makes you a premium account because you've spent money on the game.

Don't delete the Cleric hireling or the character that is currently using it. It's one time per server per account.