1st lifer Vistani MACH R-O-B-O-T

[Zvdegor]

This is the 32p 1st lifer version of my Vistani Machrotech Renegade Offensive Budget Off Tank build.

for a 28p pure arti version (no raid gear) click here: https://forums.ddo.com/index.php?threads/1st-lifer-vistani-mach-r-o-b-o-t.2663/#post-45595

Since I obsessed with this build I play it a lot when my main is on the TR train. I always try to adapt it to the changes of DDO.
The improved version got better stats thats it.
280+ AC, 250 PRR, 140 MRR, 324 base and 400+ selfboosted Melee Power. High surviveability. Decent stats for a 1st lifer toon.

Spoiler: Build Break Down

Name: 1st lifer Vistani MACH R-O-B-O-T:
(Vistani Machrotech Renegade Offensive Budget Off Tank)

Race: Deep Gnome (Iconic) or Gnome if you dont have a +1 Heart but works with any race
Alignment: True Neutral

Levelling order:
1. Artificer
2. Warlock
3-13. Artificer
14-15 Fighter
16-20 Artificer

Starting stats:
Str:13
Dex:8
Con:15
Int:20 (All levelup here)
Wis:10
Cha: 6

Spoiler: Feats

1. Ins. Reflexes
2. Warlock Pact: Celestial pact
3. PA
5. SWF
6. Cleave
9. Construct Essence + Great Cleave
12. ISWF
13. Imp. Construct Essence
14. IC: Slashing Weapon
15. GSWF + Quicken
18: Combat Expertise
19. Extend

21. Epic: OWC
22. Destiny: Perfect Single Weapon Fighting
24. Epic: Great Ability: +1 Int
25. Destiny: Epic Mage Armor
27. Great Ability: +1 Int
28. Destiny: Arcane Warrior
30. Legendary: Scion of the Etheral Plane + Epic: Epic Fortitude
31. Crush of Weakness

Spoiler: Enhancements

Racial: 2p for Illusory Escape if U have the +2 Racial Tome
VKF: 41p (T5 here: HP bonus + Blessed Blades + Vendetta + Mist Stalker V.)
RMM: 31p
Harper: 7p
ES: 1p

Spoiler: Skills

Balance 7p (for SWF)
max out: Repair, Disable, Open Lock, Spot, Intimidate, Spellcraft, Search, UMD
rest to Bluff

Spoiler: Epic Destiny

(If you dont have 65 points just drop Dire Charge and Grim Precision)

Machrotechnic: 34p
Legendary Dreadnought: 15p (if you dont have any Epic Destiny Tomes just drop Armor of Dusk and Shrug of Puishment)
Shadowdacer: 16p

or

if you don't have the Machrotechnic ED Tree put:
34 point into Shadowdancer tree
15 into Legendary Dreadnought
13 into Divine Crusader (for True Seeing and Blindness immunity)

Reaper trees:
first get 21p in Grim Barricade for the 100 HP
12 p in Dire Thaumaturge (+4 Int and Uni SP)
the rest goes into the Dread Adversary tree ( Melee Power, Tactical DC and Boosts)

Spoiler: Gear

Set Bonuses:

• Dread Stalker (+3 SA Dice/+15 MP and RP/+15% DS and DSh/+15% Dmg vs the Helpess) - Artifact bonus
• Legendary Dread Isle's Curse (+15 Mp and RP/+25 Uni SP/+30 PRR/+2 Spell DC/+2 Ability Score/+3 to hit and Dmg) - Profane bonus
• Mind and Matter (+30 PRR and MRR/+30 MRR cap) - Artifact bonus
• Paragon Guard (+15% AC) - Artifact bonus

Eqipment:

• 
  • Legendary Eternal Flameguard's Lenses
  • Deathblock
• 
  • Dinosaur Bone Helmet
  • Cha +14
  • Seeker +14
  • Stunning +15
  • +5% Dodge Bypass
  • Dread Stalker set
  • Dodge +12%
  • Essence of the Nullscale Armor
• 
  • Legendary Raptor Teeth Necklace
  • Parago Guard
• 
  • Legendary Blue Raptor Feather
  • Positive Spell Crit. Damage (+10% Insight bonus)
  • Action Boost +3
  • Wisdom +14
• 
  • Legendary Dread Stalker's Cloak
  • Natural Armor +14
  • Spot +20
• 
  • Dinosaur Bone Belt
  • Int +15
  • Repair Spell Crit. Damage (+10% Insight bonus)
  • Repair Spell Crit. Damage (+5% Quality bonus)
  • Armor Piercing +21%
  • Ins. Int +5
  • Festive Int +2
  • Globe of True Imperial Blood
• 
  • Legendary Tumbleweed
  • False Life
  • Melee Power +10
• 
  Swap
  • Legendary Omniscience
  • Repair +20
  • Feather Falling
• 
  • Gauntlets of the Stormreaver
  • Paragon Guard
  • Greater Heroism
• 
  • Legendary Clockwork Boots
  • Paragon Guard
• 
  • Legendary Kopru Bracers
  • Repair Spell Crit Damage (+20% Enhanement bonus)
  • Leg. Brightbane Emerald
  • Insightful Con +5
• 
  • Dinosaur Bone Plate Armor
  • +150% Fortification
  • +2 Profance bonus to Tactical DC
  • Enhanced Ghostly
  • Dread Stalker set ugment
  • Con +14
  • Repair Amp +57

• 
  • Attuned Bone Kukri
  • Icescale
  • Meltfang
  • Brightclaw
  • Icehorn
  • Deconstructor
  • Feareater
• 
  • Dinosaur Bone Runearm
  • Iridiscent Scale
  • Icefang or Shadowfang
  • Voidscale
  • Goldfang
  • Uncunsciousness Range
  • Intimidate +20

 

[Kodewraith]

That looks great, ZVD! I've been running a 13/8/1x Iconic BSword this life and I've been floored at how versatile and survivable the build is. I take it the two Fighter is just for Feats? Can you ditch the 3 Fighter an instead take 2 more warlock for the cleaves in ES? Granted the AP are already really tight.

Q: Do you end up picking up an imbue from anywhere for heroics?
I ended up with 13 AP in BE just to take the Electrical Imbue but it's not getting me much except rune arm recharge.

Q: do you find the Cleave and Great Cleave to be worth the two feats over the Cleave from RMM tree?

 

[Zvdegor]

That looks great, ZVD! I've been running a 13/8/1x Iconic BSword this life and I've been floored at how versatile and survivable the build is. I take it the two Fighter is just for Feats? Can you ditch the 3 Fighter an instead take 2 more warlock for the cleaves in ES? Granted the AP are already really tight.

Q: Do you end up picking up an imbue from anywhere for heroics?
I ended up with 13 AP in BE just to take the Electrical Imbue but it's not getting me much except rune arm recharge.

Q: do you find the Cleave and Great Cleave to be worth the two feats over the Cleave from RMM tree?

Thx!
Ye it is very short on AP. Maybe if Vistani is reduced to 24p the rest can be spent elswhere but that means lots of MP loss.
Yes Ftr lvls for the extrafeats. Originally the build was 16Art/3ftr/1 Wiz. Ftr defense stance + 10% AC from EK tree.
Lots of options there if you go with 24p in Vistani.
I use the BE elec Imbue for leveling till lvl 15 but this is not an Imbue build.
I use many Cleave attacks: Cleave + Great Cleave + Mighty Slam + Kinetic Discharge. Also Dire charge is AoE + Fan of Knives.
Since my dagger cause freeze to mobs any Cleave attack is very useful for even more AoE CC

 

[kmoustakas]

So what if, instead of power attack/cleave/great cleave you went dodge/mobility/whirlwind attack? I used it a lot this hardcore it hits twice and has 6 second cooldown only. Mobility will also give you +2 max dex bonus and potentially open up spring attack, too.

 

[Zvdegor]

So what if, instead of power attack/cleave/great cleave you went dodge/mobility/whirlwind attack? I used it a lot this hardcore it hits twice and has 6 second cooldown only. Mobility will also give you +2 max dex bonus and potentially open up spring attack, too.

Yea I know about this other feat line but have never tried it myself. Maybe once.

 

[Zvdegor]

Someone asked for a pure Arti verson with no raidgear. Here we go!

Name: Pure 1st life Vistani MACHROBOT
Race: Human
Alignment: Neutral
Class: 20 Artificer

Str:13 / Dex:8 / Con:14 / Int:18 / Wis:8 / Cha:8
All levelup to Int

1. Insightful Reflexes / Heavy Armor
2.
3. Power Attack
4. Single Weapon Fighting
5.
6. Cleave
7.
8. Construct Essence
9. Great Cleave
10.
11.
12. Improved Single Weapon Fighting
13.
14.
15. Improved Critical: Piercing
16. Quicken
17.
18. Greater Single Weapon Fighting
19.
20. Combat Experise
21. Overwhelming Critical
22. Perfect Single Weapon Fighting
23.
24. Construct Examplar
25. Epic Mage Armor
26.
27. Extend Spell
28. Double Strike
29.
30. Epic Fortitude / Scion of the Ethereal Plane
31.
32. Crush of Weakness

Skills:
Balance 7
Disable Device / Open Lock / Repair / Search / Spellcraft / UMD 23
Intimidate 11.5
Rest to Spot

Gear

Eyes: Legendary Eternal Flameguard Lenses (Deathblock)
Head: Titanias Glory (+20 Accuracy)
Neck: Legendary Family Recruit Sigil (Feather fall)
Trinket: Slavers Sheltering / Spell Lore Repair / Repair / Quality Int (+12 Charima)
Cloak: Legendary Cloak of Winter (+10 Protection)
Waist: Legendary Belt of Sure Strikes (Greater Heroism)
Swap Ring: Legendary Lionheart Ring (Essence of the Epic Litany of the Dead)
Hand: Legendary Hammerfist (Good Luck +2)
Feet: Legendary Deep Snow Boots
Ring: Dino Ring: +15 Int / Deception +12 / Sunder / +12 Resistance (+2 Festive Int / +5 Insightful Int / True Globe)
Wrists: Adamantine Bracers (+12 Natural Armor)
Body: Legendary Enforcers Plate (+12 Con)

Weapon:
Legendary Gold Cursed Dagger (Deconstructor / Repair SP)
or
Legendary Greenstone Dagger (Repair SP)

Swap Weapon to proc Enhanced Bloodrage: LegendaryDagger of the Liturgist

Offhand: Legendary Necronomicannon (+19 Intimidate)

 

[Bardo]

Thx!
Ye it is very short on AP. Maybe if Vistani is reduced to 24p the rest can be spent elswhere but that means lots of MP loss.
Yes Ftr lvls for the extrafeats. Originally the build was 16Art/3ftr/1 Wiz. Ftr defense stance + 10% AC from EK tree.
Lots of options there if you go with 24p in Vistani.
I use the BE elec Imbue for leveling till lvl 15 but this is not an Imbue build.
I use many Cleave attacks: Cleave + Great Cleave + Mighty Slam + Kinetic Discharge. Also Dire charge is AoE + Fan of Knives.
Since my dagger cause freeze to mobs any Cleave attack is very useful for even more AoE CC

How do you freeze mobs?

 

[Zvdegor]

How do you freeze mobs?

It is the Icehorn IoD augment in my Iod Weapon.

 

[unbongwah]

How do you feel about, say, Shadarkai Artificer 18 / rogue 2?

Pros:

• Better AoE damage from SDK chain attacks
• Save a couple of feats by trading PA/CL/GC for Precision (my preferred stance); or use those feats to grab Dodge/Mobility/WWA instead if you really need an extra button
• Evasion in heroics, Improved Evasion from Shadowdancer (level 26+)
• Access to Poisoned Coating for mobs which are immune to Thundershock and +3 Imbue dice from Assassin

Cons:

• Greater Chain Attack is 17 APs which is a big sunk cost for a toon without a bunch of extra racial APs
• Switching to light armor means you miss out on the defensive benefits from RMM to medium/heavy armor plus uncapped MRR

 

[Zvdegor]

How do you feel about, say, Shadarkai Artificer 18 / rogue 2?

Pros:

• Better AoE damage from SDK chain attacks
• Save a couple of feats by trading PA/CL/GC for Precision (my preferred stance); or use those feats to grab Dodge/Mobility/WWA instead if you really need an extra button
• Evasion in heroics, Improved Evasion from Shadowdancer (level 26+)
• Access to Poisoned Coating for mobs which are immune to Thundershock and +3 Imbue dice from Assassin

Cons:

• Greater Chain Attack is 17 APs which is a big sunk cost for a toon without a bunch of extra racial APs
• Switching to light armor means you miss out on the defensive benefits from RMM to medium/heavy armor plus uncapped MRR

Planned something like this when I'll have enough racial action points. Grinding racial lives atm on my main.
Last life I tried Precision/WWA and it wasnt bad but Rapid Slash/Cleave/Great Cleave/Blessed Blades just give a better attack flow to me. Also I prefer Higher AC (300 vs 360). Honestly I did not felt significant difefrence in damage (between Precision vs PA line) but the attack flow is better for me with Cleaves.

 

[PrinceOfAsphodel]

Why does the first life variant use Gnome? Are the racial points necessary for warlock?

 

[Zvdegor]

Why does the first life variant use Gnome? Are the racial points necessary for warlock?

It can have 20 Int at creation and originally its an Iconic Deep Gnome. The older version of the build used 1 lvl of Wiz for the +10% AC in EK tree.
Also as iconic could start at lvl 15 so could jump over those levels where selfheal was really bad.
But race really doesnt matter, it can be done with any race.

 

[Rhunah]

Race: Deep Gnome (Iconic) or Gnome if you dont have a +1 Heart
Alignment: True Neutral

Levelling order:
1. Artificer
2. Warlock
3-13. Artificer
14-15 Fighter
16-20 Artificer

Understanding question:
If I start with Deep Gnome in my first life, I can't take the fighter levels until level 16+17, right?
Because of the multiclass limitation to 3 classes.

 

[Zvdegor]

Race: Deep Gnome (Iconic) or Gnome if you dont have a +1 Heart
Alignment: True Neutral

Levelling order:
1. Artificer
2. Warlock
3-13. Artificer
14-15 Fighter
16-20 Artificer

Understanding question:
If I start with Deep Gnome in my first life, I can't take the fighter levels until level 16+17, right?
Because of the multiclass limitation to 3 classes.

You have to get to lvl 15 and do a lesser TR to get rid of the wiz level. The warlock lvl is only for +20 Melee Power and for aura procs so you can skip it if you dont have a lesser heart.
I used the Wiz level for the extra 10% ac (4ap)
I already lesser tred out of that build 2-3x that is why I am still Deep Gnome. But the build works with any race since its 1st lifer ICE build.
I suggest normal Gnome if you dont need the iconic but you have to level it up from lvl 1.

 

[Rhunah]

Thank you, that was all clear to me. But if I want to use a first life Deep Gnome (or another iconic race), I have to level up to level 15 before the lesser reincarnation. That would then look like this:
1 Iconic
2 Warlocks
3-13 Artificers
But now I can't take 2 Fighter level, because of multiclass restriction. Can you just take this or the warlock level later?

 

[Zvdegor]

Thank you, that was all clear to me. But if I want to use a first life Deep Gnome (or another iconic race), I have to level up to level 15 before the lesser reincarnation. That would then look like this:
1 Iconic
2 Warlocks
3-13 Artificers
But now I can't take 2 Fighter level, because of multiclass restriction. Can you just take this or the warlock level later?

If Deep Gnome gonna look like this

Levelling order:
1.Wiz
2-13 Arti
14-15 Ftr
16-20 Arti

Dont take Warlock level at all.
Opt 1. : You play without warlock levels with higher AC and a bit less Melee Power and without Aura procs

or

Opt 2.: You level up like in Opt 1. than lesser reaincarnate and follow the build guide.

here is the link for the old version: https://forums-old.ddo.com/forums/s...-1st-Lifer-Melee-Artificer?highlight=Handyman

 

[SylvanPhoenix]

Hey Zvd,

I'm looking forward to trying this out in my next life. I've got a few questions since I haven't played a character like this before.

You mentioned that Warlock is only for 20 melee power and the aura procs. I'm not certain where the 20 MP comes from. Is that the Arcane Warrior stack? What other aura procs do you get with this build?

I'm not familiar with using Enhanced Bloodrage. You mentioned swapping to Dagger of the Liturgist to proc this. Do you keep this equipped until it procs and then switch back? How long does this last?

 

[Zvdegor]

Hey Zvd,

I'm looking forward to trying this out in my next life. I've got a few questions since I haven't played a character like this before.

You mentioned that Warlock is only for 20 melee power and the aura procs. I'm not certain where the 20 MP comes from. Is that the Arcane Warrior stack? What other aura procs do you get with this build?

I'm not familiar with using Enhanced Bloodrage. You mentioned swapping to Dagger of the Liturgist to proc this. Do you keep this equipped until it procs and then switch back? How long does this last?

Hi,

1. yes Arcane Warrior + ES aura give you the 20 MP also 20 USP
If you have dino weapon and runearm with acid/cold/untyped dot augments, the aura procs those. But if you use the non raid gearset it wont happen cause that set is missing that part.
The dot dps is tiny but it helps to get the ×20 Myp/USP. The aura also can freeze mobs but agai with the non raid gearset it wont happen.
I haven't thought about this yet but prolly with the non-raid gearset the Warlock level is not as good as with the original gearset. You still get that +20 MP just gonna stak up a bit slover. I am not sure if the goldcurse gonna proc too through the aura. If yes awesome, if not thats not awesome. Have to test it.

2. Yes, you have to swap daggers until EB procs. It's a 2 min buff for another 10 or 15 MP and for extra Constitution (+8 maybe???)

If you dont like to swap weapons just dont use it. It will be ok without Enhanced Bloodrage. I assume you wont play R4+ so dont need to min-max MP

 

[SylvanPhoenix]

Thanks for explaining that. It's what I thought. My main, Allaunna on Sarlona, is a cold druid right now and she's the one I do higher reaper on. I wanted to try this build out on one of my alts so he won't have the raid gear. I will stick to r4 or less solo but I would like to do r6-r8 in a group. In that situation, I won't be the one tanking but would like to still be useful (not riding as a soulstone ).

With that in mind, should I still stick to the 17 Artificer/2 Fighter/1 Warlock split, swap out Warlock for Wizard, or go back to your original 16/3/1 split? I'm okay with the MP loss. I'm mainly looking to get a feel for how this build works to see how I like it.

 

[Zvdegor]

Thanks for explaining that. It's what I thought. My main, Allaunna on Sarlona, is a cold druid right now and she's the one I do higher reaper on. I wanted to try this build out on one of my alts so he won't have the raid gear. I will stick to r4 or less solo but I would like to do r6-r8 in a group. In that situation, I won't be the one tanking but would like to still be useful (not riding as a soulstone ).

With that in mind, should I still stick to the 17 Artificer/2 Fighter/1 Warlock split, swap out Warlock for Wizard, or go back to your original 16/3/1 split? I'm okay with the MP loss. I'm mainly looking to get a feel for how this build works to see how I like it.

think will be ok with the 17/2/1