I'm going to write several info posts the next week or 2. Remember i've only been playing 2 1/2 yrs and am not an uber player by a long way. I will not be including Green Steel or many raid items.
1st is STATS
2nd is defence(AC, PRR and DODGE) and self sufficiency.
1st off DDO is a computer game based loosely on 3.5, just because you see a D20 dice on screen does not mean there's a nice DM sitting inside your pc. Just the opposite its a nasty vindictive evil microchip doing calculation's far removed from a simple D20 dice roll, whose decision is final no argument. :-) . For old pnp players like me its a kinda sad fact that 99% of this game is about killing monster's. So if you want to play all the best quests on hard/elite difficulty, then focus on doing damage and survivability.
STATS
No.1
ALL characters should start with a minimum 14 in CON(1 exception only, Drow, 12 is prob the best you can afford).
No.2 If your character has 1 prime STAT(eg Cleric) and you want your spells/attacks to actually work, should be 18. You should increase this as much as possible as you level. Some people can get a stat into the 70+ range!!! using spells/items/buffs/ed's/gs/augments/etc.
Many characters have more than 1 stat needed, so you have to do a balancing act. 1 thing since the new enhancements is Rogue's being able to use DEX for attack and damage. Multi-classing has become much better since the enhancement pass.
The DDO forum has a build's section or just ask for adivice. I've just started my 1st go at a multi class a 2nd life arti/ranger.
Avoid the ddo pre-built paths they are seriously rubbish.
Skills are dependant on Stats so spend them wisely. The new enhancement pass has added/changed some skills/feats most notably Heal and Spellcraft. There's a big difference with a rogue getting 16+ skill points to spend every level than my fvs 2 every level. Skill tomes have been added i think +4 is the max.
Concentration for Spellcasters, Balance for fighters are 2 obvious ones.
Even without all the new magic items, it can be overwhelming/confusing. Below is what you should aim for.
Stat items
+Stat tomes upto +5 can be found in-game, won on daily dice, bought on AH or in DDO store for cash.
+6 stat magic items are available at ML9(more common is ML11).
Since Shadowfell +8 stat items ML15 are available.
At lev 20+ 'insightful' and 'exceptional' bonuses come into play. Runikz for instance has had, +7 enhancement and +3 insightful to most stats since lev 22 but with the new magic i should(will) have +10 enhancement and +3 insightful (plus +1 exceptional INT).
There are 3 types of +stat which stack enhancement, insightful, exceptional. +Stat tomes also stack.
If you are thinking of TR-ing farming Dreaming Dark for Ioun stone/s is an easy early boost worth getting eg
http://ddowiki.com/page/Item:Incandescent_Blue_Ioun_Stonehttp://ddowiki.com/page/Incandescent_Blue_Ioun_Stone_%28unsuppressed%29I'd also recommend getting the Chronoscope set for lev5+ characters.
+skill magic items eg Spot, balance, concentration etc
+10 skill items are available ML7-9
+13 skill items are available ML9(more common is ML11)
+15 skill items are available ML11-15
+20 skill is possible at ML18 with 2 items and limited to certain skils as far as i know.
Heroism potions give +2 for 5 min and Greater Heroism gives +4 spell/scroll/ or
http://ddowiki.com/page/Item:Planar_GirdHope thats answers some questions.
P.S. NOTE UMD is something i'll be doing in my next post