there is no "build" at that level... just slot ANY virtues you are lucky/determined enough to have already!
i usually lvl so fast that my virtues and traits lag behind... and along those lines, you do not need to slot ANY vurtues or traits while leveling (you should, but this game has gotten so easy, its really not necessary.)
but to answer what youre looking for: focus on Physical Mitigation first, for virtues, followed by Armor or Tact Mit (depending on the content you run) and then maybe some stats. you will get more out of stat-virtues at that lvl, but focusin on Mitigation is still the best option.
for traits, focus on red-line to increase your dmg. you wont need to focus on healing or aggro while leveling. youll have plenty of healing for the tow of you, and the champ should be the main focus of the mobs.
hope this helps!
"I am always serious; I am never serious." -Me
"I make the most outrageous and exaggerated statements of any man to ever live, has ever lived, or that will ever live." -Me
there is no "build" at that level... just slot ANY virtues you are lucky/determined enough to have already!
i usually lvl so fast that my virtues and traits lag behind... and along those lines, you do not need to slot ANY vurtues or traits while leveling (you should, but this game has gotten so easy, its really not necessary.)
but to answer what youre looking for: focus on Physical Mitigation first, for virtues, followed by Armor or Tact Mit (depending on the content you run) and then maybe some stats. you will get more out of stat-virtues at that lvl, but focusin on Mitigation is still the best option.
for traits, focus on red-line to increase your dmg. you wont need to focus on healing or aggro while leveling. youll have plenty of healing for the tow of you, and the champ should be the main focus of the mobs.
I agree with no "build", but I'm not so sure much mitigation is needed. Solo I'd agree, keeping self alive is key, and mitigations are pretty important. But in this duo, I expect the Champ to have most of the aggro most of the time. Let him shing shing away and the mobs will pound on him. You do your best to heal him, and contribute what damage you can from behind the mobs that are pounding on the Champ. Statwise I'd focus on Might in that regard -- hit harder and heal better. Captain self heals are so-so, so your duo will be much more successful if the mobs are hitting the Champ instead of you, as you can keep him going with Words of Courage and Inspire...
Just started a duo Captain/Champion and was wondering what would be a good build for my Captain (Virtues,Traits,Stat). Right now we are level 27.
Thanks in advance
I think your most effective build in that set up would be to concentrate on your healing Naeyus and let the Champion act as an offensive tank. That tends to always be the most powerful duo combination on MMOs - tank/healer.
As far as virtues, traits, and stats go - the general theme is to fix your weaknesses first then build on your strengths. So it all depends on your own individual Captain's strengths and weaknesses.
I can share with you the Vitures, Traits, and Sats I like the most though so you have a reference. And since I duo a lot of content with Champions myself - it might be decent for you to look at.
The Virtues I like are : Valour, Zeal, Determination, Justice, Mercy
The Stats in the order I like them are: Might, Fate, Vitality, Agility, Will
The Traits I like are Defiance, Captain's Victory, Relentless Optimism, Now for Wrath, Strength from Within, Deeds before Words, and Fear no Darkness.
Thanks a lot everyone. Gonna try your "build" Jeremi. =D
Happy to help, but I would just use what I listed as a reference.
There are probably some changes you could make to it that would better suit your own particular playing-style. But hopefully it helps give you a useful place to start from.
Jeremi's build is a decent one for endgame (although there are better HoH ones) - but don't go with the Blue traits while leveling, go heavy red - the blue traits will take you forever and a day to kill stuff, and all you'll be is a healbot for your champ friend, rather than a brother in arms. You'll be a far better captain if you learn how to heal and DPS in a heavy red setup (especially because of the Red Capstone), than just focusing on healing only in the blue setup.
Also, stack might and morale with the virtues. Don't worry about mitigations until you hit endgame.
Edit:
In case anyone was wondering, traits by level.
Key:
HoH LtC LoM Legendary
Alert Guard
1
Renewed Voice
1
Turn of the Tide
1
Fear no Darkness
10
Captain's Valour
10
Relentless Optimism
10
Strong Voice
10
Loyalty
15
Improved Routing Cry
20
Captain's Hope
20
Expert Attacks
20
Intimidation
26
Echoing Shout
26
Defiance
30
Battle-master
30
Now for Wrath
30
Blood of Númenor
30
Captain's Victory
34
Fellowship-brother
39
Oathbreaker's Shame
39
Shield of the Dúnedain
39
Tactical Prowess
40
Strength from Within
40
Composure
50
Deeds Before Words
50
Precise Ally
50
Adherent of Elendil
50
In Defence of Middle-earth
45/50
Leader of Men
58
Hands of Healing
58
Master of War
None
Last edited by Almagnus1; Jul 06 2012 at 01:52 AM.
So what does the above and below tables mean to a leveling captain?
If you ignore the herald and banner traits from LtC (which are Captain's Valour, Loyalty and Precise Ally), you will have enough of LtC to form the core rotation at 30. In other words, from about level 30 on, LtC will be complete enough to be used as a primary trait line. LtC will step it up with the damage at 60 when it gets the Shadow's Lament, and then really hits overdrive at 74 with Blade Brother. The later levels really help to reinforce this part of the trait line, as most of the skills and upgrades from level 60 on improve DPS.
For HoH, while you get most of your skills at 22, you don't get enough of the traits that actually matter until 50 - and even then HoH is arguably not worth the effort until you have the capstone at 58, at which point HoH is essentially unchanged until endgame.
LoM has the opposite problem... you have enough traits to experiment with it at 30, but until you get Grave Wound at 42, you are missing the key to our threat generation: the Cutting Attack => Grave Wound perceived threat buff, plus a forced taunt. It's arguably possible for a captain to become a tank at level 60, because you have most everything needed to tank with.
Naeryus, I leveled up as HoH and did just fine. In fact it was almost too easy - and I would prefered the leveling-up process been a lot more challenging and lengthy on this game.
Secondly, never believe anything that Almagnus guy says about me or my build. He is bias against me And the way I build my character has served me just fine, from the beginning to the end (not just in endgame). So I just want to clear that up in case there are any misunderstandings so you don't believe the nonsense that my build is only "decent" for "endgame".
Remember these are all just opinions, even though certain people like to present their opinions as if they are undisputed facts chiseled into stone. But they aren't. And I duo tier2 content even at level 75 with Champions using my strategies. So it does make an effective combination with Champs, so that's why I thought I'd chime in.
You of course should build your character however best suits your own personal style though. LIke I said, I was just providing you with a reference on what I personally liked since I duo a lot with Champions. You can take from it what you want ^^
Secondly, never believe anything that Almagnus guy says about me or my build. He is bias against me And the way I build my character has served me just fine, from the beginning to the end (not just in endgame). So I just want to clear that up in case there are any misunderstandings so you don't believe the nonsense that my build is only "decent" for "endgame".
So tell me, using the above lists of traits and skills by level, when can a HoH captain start to actually become effective?
So tell me, using the above lists of traits and skills by level, when can a HoH captain start to actually become effective?
I wasn't trying to argue what was the most effective leveling build based on each indiviudal level as a Captain levels up. That's not what I was dong, and I'm not really interested in doing that either.
I was just giving the guy a reference as to the things I like - since he expressed a desire to be effective at duoing with a Champion. And since that's something I do a lot of, I figured I would let him know what I use. That's all.
And like I said to you previously, I leveled up just fine as a HoH Captain and found it "effective" enough that it was painfully easy. I don't even want to imagine how easy it would have been if I had a champion along with me as well.
"I am always serious; I am never serious." -Me
"I make the most outrageous and exaggerated statements of any man to ever live, has ever lived, or that will ever live." -Me
When I leveled my captain, I had a champ with me for the entire way. From my experience, captains don't do a ton of healing at level 30ish no matter how you trait. However, you don't need to at level 30. We could still pull 5+ mobs and be ok. I went heavy on LtC with the only exception being Defiance. I wouldn't say it's necessary, but Defiance is really nice for when you pull a bunch of mobs and start getting stunned, or whatever. In Harms Way + Last Stand should get you through basically anything.
At level 60, I slotted Master of War and it made things much easier. More defeat events for war cry & healing, much more DPS...it's just an all-around improvement. I forget what level you get your last class slot, but at that point I had 5 red + Defiance and Now For Wrath.
As far as the champ goes, things improve immensely at level 42ish, or whenever they hit the lottery and get shing shing. I don't know if I'd recommend grinding mobs until they get it, but I would definitely try to get it as soon as reasonably possible. At this point, the champ becomes a much better dps tank. He/she shouldn't have any problem keeping aggro. As someone else mentioned, it's much easier to heal the champ than yourself.
I'm not saying what we did is the best way, but it worked very well. I basically just kept shield-brother on the champ, and traited/geared for full dps. Captain/champ have so much synergy that you don't need to do a ton of healing. All your buffs make the champ into a wrecking ball. All you really have to do is keep up war cry, alternate champ horn stuns & routing cry stun for survivability, and throw a few heals on the champ. Use cutting attack whenever you can for extra dps and on defeat events. Pull every mob in sight, and goto town! This was one of the few times that I actually enjoyed leveling.
More resources for the leveling captain (numbers are the class slot level unlock:
If you wanted to level LtC (red heavy):
15: Renewed Voice - This will make the primary DPS rotation occur more often
21 & 27: Loyalty & Expert Attacks => Stuff
Slot whichever one you get first at 21, the second at 27.
Expert Attacks is a useful trait, however, the herald is actually a fairly good companion until about the low 50s, so Loyalty is actually a fairly decent leveling trait. That said, Now for Wrath is absolutely crucial for captain power management, so you want to drop Expert attacks for it, and grab it later on. Whenever you unlock Adherent of Elendil, you'll want to drop Loyalty for it.
33: Battle-Master
39: Expert Attacks
53: Turn of the Tide - You should be procing enough defeat responses in combat that
57: Relentless Optimism - LtC is based heavily around getting crit up as high as you can, and since that will affect healing crit, RO becomes a really good choice for a second blue, to give you +10% Vocal Healing
If you wanted to level HoH (blue heavy):
15: Renewed Voice - this will help with the DPS, since the HoH build's DPS is roughly half of a LtC's DPS.
21: Fear no Darkness - Improves the spot heal
27, 33: Relentless Optimism - Convert to Now for Wrath once you unlock NfW, and pick up RO again at 33
39: Slot something until you get Strength from Within - it's the self heal, and a staple of most HoH builds
53: Deeds Before Words - Improves Inspire (this trait should really be acquired significantly earlier)
57: Expert Attacks - Helps you gamble for defeat responses off of Pressing Attack and Devastating Blow, since HoH will not have LtC's +5% Melee Critical bonus
If you wanted to level LoM (yellow heavy):
Note: LoM tanks will not be effective at holding agro until around level 42 when you get Grave Wound (because of the Cutting Attack => Grave Wound perceived threat buff), I recommend you start off traited LtC, then switch traits at 42.
15: Renewed Voice => Alert Guard when you get Grave Wound at 42
21: Loyalty => Intimidation when you get Grave Wound at 42
27: Expert attacks => Now for Wrath when you get it
33: Battle Master => Echoing Shout when you get Grave Wound at 42
39: Expert Attacks => Tactical Prowess when you get Grave Wound at 42
53: Strength from Within
57: Improved Routing Cry - Routing Cry is now a forced taunt, completely useless w/o the capstone FYI
What, no banner traits?
When you compare what the banner trait contributes to the build against most other traits, for LtC and HoH, they don't make an effective enough increase in DPS or healing to justify using them over another trait. However, in LoM, the trait DOES help with power issues, so it's greatly beneficial to the build if the LoM captain is running Victory banner over Hope Banner.
Why not use the herald traits in LtC?
Currently, the herald's DPS is so bad that you take a net DPS LOSS if you use the herald traits over other LtC traits. That said, I do run around with the herald (not the archer) fully traited in a skirmish set to agressive with assist turned off (because it's another minion in the cloud at that point). I run with a herald set to passive with assist turned on elsewhere to avoid many of the problems people have complained about.
Herald or Banner?
There's pro's and cons to each. Know them, use your best judgement. Currently I'm not using the herald in grouping because of issues it has, yet my herald saw all of BG and OD at 65.
Blood of Numenor in HoH?
It's useful if you know there's going to be a lot of wiping (ie: new raid). That said, I don't like relying on it because people shouldn't be dying.
Why not Defiance for LoM?
If you need Defiance on a regular basis while LoM, it means that something is bad wrong with either your ability to reduce damage, or your healer. The former can be adjusted by tweaking gear. May the Valar smile upon you if the latter is a kin healer. That said, there are
Defiance, Composure, Captain's Vicotry, or Tactical Prowess for LoM?
Pick the right one for the situation, there's not really a bad choice here.
What about a non-capstone/support build?
Use your best judgement.
Why not use the herald traits in LtC?
Currently, the herald's DPS is so bad that you take a net DPS LOSS if you use the herald traits over other LtC traits. That said, I do run around with the herald (not the archer) fully traited in a skirmish set to agressive with assist turned off (because it's another minion in the cloud at that point). I run with a herald set to passive with assist turned on elsewhere to avoid many of the problems people have complained about.
Not really sure about validity of this statement, Im using archer with MoW, Precise Ally and Loyalty slotted, and he is doing some serious dmg, frequently crits for 200-350 dmg and puts up a solid sustained dps, noticeably bigger then when I dont use those traits and herald. Cant wait to get blade brother to try it on archer, I think it will beat dpsing with banner by far.
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Originally Posted by SapienChavez
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And the way I build my character has served me just fine, from the beginning to the end (not just in endgame). So I just want to clear that up in case there are any misunderstandings so you don't believe the nonsense that my build is only "decent" for "endgame". 
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