New Player FAQs

This is a compilation of questions commonly asked in the /advice channel by new players. See also DDO wiki:FAQ.

Character-Building FAQs

 * ...from the veteran DDO and D&D players...

Welcome to Dungeons and Dragons Online!

First and above all, understand that DDO is not the same as any "tabletop" D&D you've ever played. This should be understandable - the gameplay of a computer game has to be different from a Dungeon Master and Players telling the story of characters. Many of the Classes, Feats, Spells, Skills and Special Abilities work differently - some subtly, some radically. In addition, in DDO there are "Enhancements", which are a little like customizable Prestige Class abilities and can be at least as important as Feats and Class put together! In effect, DDO is just a different "edition" of D&D, one that tabletop players have never seen before.

And sorry to say it, but if you try to build a character using all your pen-and-paper expertise from other editions, it will most probably fail. Just the nature of a new edition, unfortunately - happens every time.

So, be prepared (as with any new edition) for some of your favorite builds to be "unworkable", at least as you are accustomed to them. The good news is that there will be some unexpected builds that give you the same enjoyment of those "unworkable" builds - same result, just a different path to get there.

So, shake off your pen-n-paper expectations, preferences and prejudices - and especially any "expertise" - and embrace DDO - this is the same world, same game feel, just a diff set of rules to get you there.

There are some very good suggestions on the forums for solid "starting characters" - check those out for more information.


 * Classes

The forums are fairly friendly - if you're not 100% sure, about anything, ask a question here:


 * New Player Advice & Guidance

Q: What are the "Paths" in the Character Generation section?

It's suggested you stay away from those, for 3 reasons. 1) They tend to be older, and do not reflect the "best" options. 2) You can't see what you're getting until you get it - you're letting the game drive. And 3), because of #2, you won't learn what does/not make a good character.

What they do provide, is a quick (and dirty) way of entering the game immediately. Grab one, take it for a spin, delete it later - no harm done.

Q: What do the "Melee", "Spell", "Specialist" categories in Character Generation mean?

Nothing. They are just a convenient way to organize the 15(!) classes into starting groups for the Char-Gen process. You can always multiclass later if you really want (but see next...)

Q: How do I multiclass?

The next time you gain a level, talk to the trainer for the new class you want to take instead of your old one.

Warning: Multiclassing is not recommended for inexperienced DDO players. There is no (easy) way to "change" a class once it is taken. Make sure you know what you're doing, and that the build is strong, before you hurry to grab a shiny new class.

If you're thinking of multiclassing to cover a hole in your abilities (lack of combat skill in a Sorcerer, or healing for a fighter, for example), consider a hireling. It's generally better to be a specialist, and focus on being good at what you can do, rather than to try to be a generalist and add new abilities that will delay what you already have never become well developed themselves. (There are exceptions, but that gets back to the "experience" part of the warning.)

Q: I made a mistake, what do I do?

If it's a Feat, talk to Fred. Fred can change one Feat for free, and more than one might not be too expansive (though they get more and more expensive as the character gains levels!).

Beyond that, there are only two ways to "fix" a broken character:
 * 1) Reroll, which is to delete the character and start over.  Least painful if the character is still low level.
 * 2) Via the in-game Reincarnation process.

There are different degrees of "reincarnation". There is "Lesser Reincarnation" (allowing re-selecting of Abilities, Feats and Skills). There is also a version of Lesser, if you're willing to pay for it, that can actually change some number of your classes into other classes. There is also "True Reincarnation", which can only be done at Level 20, where a character is "reborn" into a new life, with a small benefit from their previous life based on either their previous class or race.

'Q: Can '' use a shield? A certain armor? A certain weapon?'''

In DDO, any class can use any armor, weapon, or shield, but there can be steep penalties that make it a bad idea. Specifics are found under the article that describes each class.

For one, each class and race starts out proficient with only some equipment. Using non-proficient equipment gives you attack roll penalties. You can become proficient with additional gear by multiclassing or by taking certain feats as you level up, but both of these have long-term impacts on your build and should be done with care.

Second, armors and shields may penalize several skills, may limit how much bonus Armor Class you get from your Dexterity, and may interfere with casting Bard, Sorcerer, and Wizard spells.

Q: Can  dual-wield?

Any character can pick up and wield two weapons (or a weapon and shield, or a two-handed weapon) at any time. However, there can be significant penalties if they are not proficient, and they will not get the most out of your choice of weapon(s) without the proper Feats to support them. These feats are available to all classes, but some classes get them included automatically. Rangers get most (but not all) of the two-weapon feats as they gain levels.

As a rule, the Oversized Two Weapon Fighting feat is not necessary, due to the way DDO now works combat.

Q: Can  wear ?

Just as with picking up a weapon (or two), any character can put on any armor, light, medium or heavy. However, they will not get the most out of it unless they are proficient with that class of armor. More, for many (but not all) casters, some armors will create Arcane Spell Failure.

Full information on armor and weapon proficiencies can be found in the article on each Class.

Q: How do I inscribe spells?

Only Wizards and Artificers do this. Read Inscribe carefully—the process is not self-evident. The components are sold in Stormreach, but not in Korthos Village. You will need a scroll of the spell (only spells of your class work), and "spell inscription components" of the appropriate level. Place the "Inscribe Spell" feat on a hotbar. Then: (a) select the scroll in your inventory, (b) click the "Inscribe Spell" hot key. You'll get a message if anything goes wrong, otherwise you'll know the spell in a few seconds. To actually ready it, you'll need to visit an inn or rest shrine.

Q: What is the maximum level?

30. The levels above 20 are special and show as "Epic levels" on displays like the guild list.

Multiclass characters can have 30 levels total, not per class. If someone appears on your friend list with more than 30 levels, this is due to them having used the True Reincarnation ability and started that character over as a 1st level character. They don't have more than 30 levels.

Game Mechanics FAQs
Q: How do I recharge a wand?

Most wands cannot be recharged. Eternal wands slowly recharge over time and completely recharge by resting.

Q: Where do I get a rune arm for my Artificer?

There are not a lot of them in the game, and they come generally from quest rewards. One will be offered among the rewards for Redemption on Korthos, it's the only one available in the starter island.

'''Q: How do I use a Healer's Kit? I need to heal myself.'''

Healer's Kits can't heal active characters. Their only use is to try reviving an unconscious (but not dead) teammate. You can't do this on yourself. You also can't do it on Warforged characters — those need Repair Kits instead. See the Heal skill for more details.

'''Q: How do I use a Repair Kit? I need to repair my items.'''

Repair Kits don't do that. They work on unconscious Warforged teammates just like Healer's Kits work on all other races (see above).

To repair damaged gear, you need to pay most any vendor. Vendors can be found in any shop, and all tavernkeeps act as vendors for this purpose as well.

Q: How do I get hit points & spell points back?

There are numerous ways, primarily resting at a rest shrine (which restores all SP and varying HP) and using spells and items (which typically only restore HP). More importantly, your health and spell points do not replenish on their own while you're on a quest. This is a fundamental mechanic of DDO that you need to take into account when planning how to approach a dungeon.

Q: How do I resurrect my hireling?

First, if you're far from a resurrection shrine, pick up your hireling's soul stone. Find a res shrine, target it by right-clicking it with the mouse, then press the "interact with targeted object" command on your hireling's control bar (it's in spot 6 and should look like a pair of gears). You may need to use it multiple times, or try making your hireling's ghost walk to several different spots, before he figures out a clear path to the shrine.

Geography FAQs
Q: Where is the  trainer?

In general, check your map for light blue leaf icons. For Korthos Village in particular, some trainers are back in the graveyard where the Heyton's Rest quest is.

Q: Where is the mailbox?

Q: Where is the auction house?

Q: Where is the bank?

None of these exist in Korthos Village. The first two zones of Stormreach — The Harbor and The Marketplace — have all three. It varies by zone after that. Check your map. The mailbox is an orange unfurled scroll icon, the auction house is a red hammer, and the bank is an orange coin bag.

Quest FAQs
Q: Where is the Skeletal Mage in Sacrifices?

It is on a ledge above the water-filled hall where this optional goal first appears, across a series of stone rafters. You need to climb back up the ladder you first descended into that room, then make a series of tricky jumps across the rafters. Getting a Jump skill buff is helpful here, as is taking off any heavy shield or armor.

Q: How do I open the blue door in the ceiling in Redemption?

It can't be opened. That dungeon map was recycled from an earlier quest. Some rooms are permanently closed off because they aren't used in the current quest.

Q: How do I unlock the barred doors to get to the chests in Redemption and Necromancer's Doom?

You need a Rogue with enough Open Locks skill or an Artificer that has Open Locks skill or a character or item with the Knock spell.

Q: Where is the last rare enemy in Korthos Island?

A full map of that area is at the page on Korthos Island. It shows all the spawn points. Also keep in mind that the rare enemies in wilderness adventure areas do not always spawn. (That's what makes them rare!) You will probably need to visit the zone multiple times to find all the rares.

Other FAQs
Q: How do I hide my helmet?

Enter /showhelmet off in the chat window. Enter /showhelmet on to show it again. You can also click on the head part of the character silhouette in the inventory screen to do this without typing. It will show a generic helmet icon when the helm is turned on, and an empty box when the helm is turned off. The armor box in the chest area is to turn armor kits on and off.

Q: How do I show my cape?

You can't.

Update : Since Update 40, you can. Quest reward cloaks/capes from Korthos, and most cloaks in general, are now visible. Some random loot cloaks still aren't, though.

Q: Why can't I cast my spells?

If your hotkey icon is grayed out, you don't have the spell prepared. (This affects Artificers, Clerics, Druids, Rangers, Paladins, and Wizards. For other classes, all spells they know are prepared at all times.) Go inside any Tavern and open your Spells panel. On each of your spell level tabs, drag the spells you want to prepare from your list of known spells into the squares at the bottom, then drag those icons to your hotbar.

If the icon is fully colored but nothing happens when you press it:
 * You may have an illegal target selected.
 * You may be out of the material component it needs. When you mouse-over the spell, the missing component will be highlighted in red text. Visit a component vendor and stock up.
 * Your ability score may be too low. To cast a level X spell, you need a score of at least 10 + X in the primary ability that your class uses for spellcasting.

Q: Why can't I sell this one item to a vendor?

There are a number of possible reasons.


 * The item is a starter item. Those can't be sold at all.
 * It's a collectable. Those can't be sold to NPCs (but they can be sold to other players).
 * You're wearing it. You need to take it off.
 * You locked the item. You need to go to your inventory panel and unlock it.
 * It's damaged. You need to repair it.
 * You're trying to sell it to a broker. Each broker only buys items with a certain base value and type. You need to find the right broker or sell to a general vendor instead.

Being bound does not stop you from selling an item to NPCs.

'''Q: I won something at the Auction House. How do I get it?'''

Go to a mailbox. All items, profits, and bid refunds from the Auction House are mailed to you.

Q: How do I get more inventory space ?

By doing quests in favor of the Coin Lords, you can get the possibility to get more inventory space as a reward.

By doing quests in favor of House Kundarak, you can get the possibility to get more personal bank space as a reward.