DDO Total Content Measure - Introduction

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With the level cap looming, and another 230,000 xp to earn before recapping at 12.4, I decided to look at taking a measure of just how much content there is in the game, how long it is likely to take a determined player to complete that content in the most efficent manner, and what percentage of total content he or she would complete before capping the first time at 10.4. The premise then being that the left overs would give us an idea of how much content is available, along with the module three additions, to hit the new cap. We could then look at whether the new dungeons carry enough xp, and whether the death penalty is too high.

Over the past few months, when I've popped back to EU live, I've noticed just how quickly a lot of my friends have been levelling new alts, and on talking to them about it, they seem to be burning the big xp quests at each level early, missing a vast chunk of the content and capping as soon as they can. Of course, the problem with this is that as soon as they pass a certain level difference threshold, the xp that may have been available in those missed quests becomes unattainable for them. Currently, it seems most speed-levelled builds are capping having done around 50% of the content, with 40% rendered useless due to repetition or over-level penalties and with only 10% left for the 11.0 to 12.4 climb.

To avoid this situation, I've opted to work as efficently (and unfortunately, also slowly) as possible on the journey to 10.4. To do this, I'll be exploiting the +25% and +50% first time bonuses and the +25% conquest and +10% ransack bonuses to their fulliest, whilst running a level in hand for as long as possible before levelling up. By that I mean that having earnt enough xp to make say, level 5, I won't be levelling up to 5 until I hit enough xp to attain level 6. Currently, the game allows you to run with one level in hand before capping your xp gain, allowing you to gain a further +10% for running a level under.

I'm blessed with having three machines here and two DDO accounts between myself and my son, giving me control of a third of each party I group with. I'll be making sure that each of our two characters uses as little twinked equipment as possible, and when grouping with non-guild members, I'll be making sure that the rest of the party is always the same level or lower as myself to avoid uneccessary xp penalties.

The two characters I'm opted to run through this project are a Drow Paladin and a Human Wizard. I've settled on these two as they provide the most self sufficent duo possible, giving ranged and melee DPS options, self healing and a high spot for secrets, along with a full range of buffs and crowd control spells. The remaining aspects of a balanced party should be relatively easy to find in the PUG environment.

I'll post the two character builds in replies below in due course.

So the final points - quests will be attempted following the favor list ordered by level, with each quest level cleared as fully on normal, hard and elite as possible on the lowest character level possible. As I go I'll be reporting the total xp gained, character level achieved, favor achieved and bonuses unlocked, play time accumalated and pointing out any quests that stand out for one reason or another.

Wish me luck! :)

Character builds for the project:

All rounder build hinging on sensible use of the Paladin Action Boost to fulfill each roll. This is the one I've been using for my total content project and thus far (45% content down) she's cake-walked everything up to level 5 on normal-elite with the exception of the odd fire elemental. Note this test is using an untwinked character.

Drow Elf Paladin 'Aribeth De Tylmarande'

STR 16 +3 (+1) (+3) = 20
DEX 10 +0
CON 12 +1 (+2) = 14
INT 10 +0
WIS 14 +2 (+2) = 16
CHA 16 +3 (+1) (+3) (+4) = 24

Toughness
Skill Focus – UMD
+1 STR
Mental Toughness
+1 CHA
Improved Critical – Slashing

Drow Spell Resistance
Paladin’s Action Boost
Paladin’s Charisma
Resistance of the Good

Helm - (Bam) +2 Wisdom, +5 Will Save, Prot Evil 3/day
Necklace – (Cot6) Resistance +3 – and – (Delera) +1 Int, +3 UMD
Trinket – (Tangle) Wizardry II
Belt – (Shan) Light Fort, Fort Save +2 – and – (South) Command, Haggle +10
Ring – Charisma +3 Diplomacy +5 looted
Gloves – (Tangle) Strength +3
Boots – (Tangle) Striding 10%, +2 Reflex
Ring – (Cot6) Constitution +2
Bracers – (Cot6) Swim +7, Jump +7
Goggles – (Shan) Reflex save +4 – then – (South) +3 Protection, +4 Reflex Save

Weapons – (South) Retribution

…plus any of the Bane weapons that happen to be handy on the way through the lower levels.

The Wizard build I'm using is the Silencerius crowd control build, giving a full range of CC spells whilst still maintaining good PK and DPS options if neccessary.

Human Wizard 'BlackHeart'

STR 8 -1
DEX 12 +1
CON 14 +2
INT 18 +4 (+5) (+3) = 26
WIS 10 +0
CHA 8 -1

Mental Toughness
Spell Focus - Enchantment
Empower Spell
Heighten Spell
+1 INT
Extend Spell
Spell Focus - Illusion
Improved Mental Toughness
Maximise Spell

Wizard's Intelligence
Energy of the Scholar
Improved Heightening
Human Intelligence