Templates for Today's UO

I'm looking for a collection of viable (retail) UO Character Templates; specifically for Samaria Warriors and Ninja's as well; also interested in whether or not Lumberjacking makes a viable addition to present-day warrior templates.

PvM at this point. I'm sure there are shard exceptions, but I don't even see people in Felucca on the Baja shard; at least not yet.

So Lumberjacking has basically become a gathering skill at this point? There are so many item enhancements available now to get you to the damage bonus that I can see the skill points not being worth it. That said, the following templates are the basic premise for character template understanding I'm operating with; assumptions and templates listed as follows. Waxing intellectual is encouraged as I (like many) always have something to learn. 

- assumptions - 
100% Damage is still cap for both spells and weapons; Lumberjacking's damage bonus does NOT display on your character sheet; Magic Resist is still viable for PvM; Bushido + Parry = a high % of defense without a shield; Parry is still useful for Ninjitsu 

Samurai Warrior
Weapon Skill
Anatomy
Tactics
Bushido
Focus, Resist, Parry, Chivalry, Necromancy, Healing?

Ninja Warrior
Ninjitsu
Hiding
Stealth
Weapon
Tactics
Anatomy, Focus, Resist, Parry, Chivalry, Healing?

Whammy
Weapon Skill
Bushido
Magic Resist
Tactics
Parry
Chivalry
Spirit Speak

Bushido Ninja
Bushido
Weapon Skills
Ninjitsu
Magic Resist
Hiding
Tactics
Stealth 

Ninja Archer
Archery
Tactics
Anatomy
Ninja
Healing
Resisting Spells and Focus -or- Hiding and Stealth

Bushido Archer
Archery
Tactics
Anatomy
Chivalry
Bushido
Focus and/or Healing

Mystic Mage
Mysticism
Focus and/or Meditation
Magery
Evaluating Intelligence
Resisting Spells
Inscription

Legendary Bard
Musicianship
Provocation
Discordance
Peacemaking
Magery
Evaluating Intelligence

Ok i didn't read it all but i did want to inform you that the ninja template with hiding/stealth would be very limited in pvm. Deathstrike is the biggest damage dealer with damage being calculated by tiles moved in X time. Most mobs don't move fast. Ninja skill alone you can do mirror image and focus attack. 

You can combine the mystic and bard templates for a very nice template. Mage/Mystic/Focus/Music/Disco some would do either eval/resist or weaving for the last.

Noted there @Urge; thanks.

The disco mystic is actually pretty fun and relaxing. With spellweaving it is also a viable event character if you're interested in that sort of thing.

Well, give that content above another shot. I'm looking for a viable/engaging Samurai Warrior and/or Ninja Warrior template specifically; but added the collection of templates based on my present understanding of mechanics and thread alias as well.

Whammy has it's place but the vamp form samp is the most well rounded go to template in game that can tackle almost everything solo. There are a number of different skill combinations that are out of my league. I don't really like any of these due to the fact you no longer need to play with others and when you do you're limited on your helping ability.
 
Mine is simply wep/tact/bush/parry/necro and chiv.

There are some with less than gm in some skills with plus skill jewels. I've seen some with as low as 60 parry with ninja to mirror image. Endless possibilities.

Spell Damage Increase has no Cap? I thought the character sheet maxed out at 100?? My assumptions were for SDI and DI specifically; as the character sheet only shows 100 max. My follow-up question would then be... is Lumberjacking a Damage Bonus or does it apply to Damage Increase? Where I'm headed here, regardless of whether folks take Lumberjacking or not, if you max your DI, does Lumberjacking still apply a bonus or is it calculated as a DI, and therefore not applied due to max??

SDI has no cap in PvM. It is capped in PvP.
https://www.uoguide.com/Spell_Damage_Increase

Lumberjacking is one of the factors in calculating your Final Damage Bonus as is Damage Increase. Lumberjacking bonus and Damage Increase are two separate portions of that calculation. Damage Modifier is applied after that.
https://www.uoguide.com/Damage_Calculations

Does the "no cap" also apply to DI (as in melee damage increase) ?

No, DI (Damage Increase) is capped at 100%. 

@Arroth_Thaiel - Noted and thanks there. It's unusual they'd cap one and not the other, but I suppose that attempts to get around the issues folks have with pure mages, maybe?? Regardless, that's good content and I'll check further into the calculators you provided. 

@Urge - I do have myself a Sampire at this point. Thanks for the content there. Strangely, I don't enjoy playing it much. I think I was looking for a change and I'm still trying to discern all the possible templates that might allow me to experience the content in a new manner. On that note, if it were not for the fact that you no longer need to play with others, I'm not sure how many of us would be playing at all ;} Folks like us that are "keeping the dream alive" as it were... but I get the feeling that a census would suggest an ever decreasing population. Regardless, I appreciate the content.

Is there another template beyond a Sampire, or probably a Tamer that can be suggested for a large portion of content capability? 

Sitromis said:

Is there another template beyond a Sampire, or probably a Tamer that can be suggested for a large portion of content capability? 

Sampires (Bushido, Chivalry, Necromancy) are good for a large portion of mid to high end content. However, many of the newer boss monsters have corrupted leech aura, so life leech (sometimes mana leech) will not work against them. For those bosses you have to find a template other than Sampire.

I prefer a Paladin, some prefer a Samurai. An Archer template is out there that people spawn with. Mystic Mage templates seem to roll pretty well. Tamer's are super popular.

You have to ask yourself though, if you need a better template than a Sampire for the highest end bosses, why not just use that template for everything? You might find the answer to that question enlightening. 

Sitromis said:

@ Arroth_Thaiel - Noted and thanks there. It's unusual they'd cap one and not the other, but I suppose that attempts to get around the issues folks have with pure mages, maybe?? Regardless, that's good content and I'll check further into the calculators you provided. 

@ Urge - I do have myself a Sampire at this point. Thanks for the content there. Strangely, I don't enjoy playing it much. I think I was looking for a change and I'm still trying to discern all the possible templates that might allow me to experience the content in a new manner. On that note, if it were not for the fact that you no longer need to play with others, I'm not sure how many of us would be playing at all ;} Folks like us that are "keeping the dream alive" as it were... but I get the feeling that a census would suggest an ever decreasing population. Regardless, I appreciate the content.

Is there another template beyond a Sampire, or probably a Tamer that can be suggested for a large portion of content capability? 

SDI isn't capped because even at the current max its still comparable to a dexer at its cap.   Basically its gated by the items available.

As far as my vote for fun capable templates,...

* ninja parry dexer is fun (I prefer mace, but all good)

*necro mage tamer

*necro bard

I still use classic templates, my ninja dexer is essentially a old school warrior with ninja in place of resist.  Can hang in the toughest of places and actually do a thing or two in pvp.  Really an objective, some skill refining and a specialized suit anythings possible.  My wrestler alchemist fisherman does events, if there's a will and some gold there's a way.

As things go, what would be the "old school warrior" template?

Weapon
Tact
Anat
Heal
Resist
Parry
Chiv before pallies LJ for the added damage

Does it make much difference which weapon you use?  Have 120 in macing and fencing.  Thinking about investing in a 120 power scroll for swords, currently at 100.  Have poisoning available at 100 on another character.  Do mostly pvm.  Thanks.

IMHO it has to do more with the specials you want so you will need a wep that has them and then train the skill needed to use that wep.

Has anyone made a Ninja Mage for fun?

Ninjitsu
Tactics
Stealth
Hiding
Magery
Meditation
Evaluate Intelligence

I was thinking that a "Mage Weapon" might substitute for the necessary weapon skill, but I haven't fully analyzed this - and since I haven't seen it before, it would likely do no more than entertain.

Sitromis said:

Has anyone made a Ninja Mage for fun?

Ninjitsu
Tactics
Stealth
Hiding
Magery
Meditation
Evaluate Intelligence

I was thinking that a "Mage Weapon" might substitute for the necessary weapon skill, but I haven't fully analyzed this - and since I haven't seen it before, it would likely do no more than entertain.

I love my ninja but unless they unnerf and let you cast in animal form kinda pointless....

Noted there. I guess I was thinking that you'd still potentially be effective with the damage output via mage weapon + ninjitsu + tactics; but I honestly don't know if the algorithm allows for that combination. I understand not being able to cast Magery spells in form definitely impacts the functions all around. 

Had a tactics mage a long time ago and a regular mage.  Tried them both out with the same mage weapons.  Tactics mage always got better results from the mage weapon but nothing to write home about as I remember.  Some weapons faired much better than most, probably the ones that had modifiers that just made them more effective.  But tactics did make a difference.  For pvm would probably consider dropping tactics for resisting spells.  Dragons and similar monsters take a lot of hits to put down and cast a lot of spells that make you life more difficult.  Think resist spells would do you more good than tactics.  With ninjitsu you can move fairly quickly while stealthing in some of the animal forms.  Think that’s the main benefit from having that skill as a mage.  Others I think could provide better answers.  But the ability to stealth, hit hard, and disappear using smoke bombs might make a ninjitsu mage quite useful for some situations. 

Sitromis said:

Has anyone made a Ninja Mage for fun?

Ninjitsu
Tactics
Stealth
Hiding
Magery
Meditation
Evaluate Intelligence

I was thinking that a "Mage Weapon" might substitute for the necessary weapon skill, but I haven't fully analyzed this - and since I haven't seen it before, it would likely do no more than entertain.

Yes i love when people think outside the box on templates but do yourself a favor on this one and don't. You will run into massive mana problems and it turns out to not be entertaining at all. 

A chiv ninja melee template would be far more fun. 

I hear ya and regarding the Chiv'Ninja, I'd be interested to hear more Urge.

The Ninja is probably my least experimented with skillset in UO today. My primary interest on the above was trying to capitalize on "Mage Weapon" in the event it worked properly. Simply because it offered a different manner of combat, supplemented with Magery directly. 

Sitromis said:

I hear ya and regarding the Chiv'Ninja, I'd be interested to hear more Urge.

The Ninja is probably my least experimented with skillset in UO today. My primary interest on the above was trying to capitalize on "Mage Weapon" in the event it worked properly. Simply because it offered a different manner of combat, supplemented with Magery directly. 

There are 3 ninja spells that are effective in pvm. Focus attack, mirror image and animal form. Focus attack doubles all hit spells on your weapon (unless it was changed). Mirror image will divert all incoming melee damage to the mirror image. Animal forms give different perks. Unicorn form cannot be poisoned. Wolf form adds HP. Tiger form overcaps DCI. Cannot cast or use specials in forms except for mirror image. I had a whammy ninja but never really got into it. If interested i'll run some numbers and come up with handy melee ninja template. 

If you're just wanting to use a -mage weapon i will suggest a magical shortbow. It's fast and added with a slayer and mana leech it will help keep your mana stable. It is extremely effective using the following template. 
120 magery
120 mystic
120 focus
120 music
120 disco
120 spellweaving

@Urge Sincerely appreciate the content there and would be interested in said melee Ninja template. I have no expectation that it'll be the content clearing Sampire for PvM, but that's ok... I still haven't fully completed mine anyway.

https://forum.uo.com/discussion/9228/an-easy-to-use-build-for-wildfire-paragons

See this thread to get an idea of the melee ninja. 

Urge said:

https://forum.uo.com/discussion/9228/an-easy-to-use-build-for-wildfire-paragons

See this thread to get an idea of the melee ninja. 

Thanks!  If I have your endorsement I know I did it correctly.  🙂

Pawain said:

Urge said:

https://forum.uo.com/discussion/9228/an-easy-to-use-build-for-wildfire-paragons

See this thread to get an idea of the melee ninja. 

Thanks!  If I have your endorsement I know I did it correctly.  🙂

Oh I wouldn't call myself anything special on PVM. I do really enjoy out of the box templates. 

Just wanted to offer a quick thank you to you both. Good thread btw... really distills the effort/reward conversation and helps with templating in general. 

Np. Anytime you need help we're all in this together. 

I forgot to mention my discord archer. That's a super effective fun template. One of these days i'll run the numbers to make an onslaught discord samp.