Torm51

So I’ve made many Crusaders as my frontline tank but never using SI. I want to try a build around it. Gear wise I know what I need, the only question is attributes. I feel like you are starved. You need MAX RES for reduction of SI’s hostile effect. You want good Might (only way to increase SI damage besides PL), INT for AOE size, PER for ACC and you can’t dump CON you need the HP and you can’t dump dex because your recovery will be titanically slow. What do you guys think a good attribute distribution is? You have to pick 3, maybe keep PER at 10 since it’s a party and not solo? Use party members to debuff and give ACC?

Oh ya forgot about the antidotes for paralyze. I need to be better at consumables. Ya the brine imps and ooze aren’t usually an issue but that paralyze got me good lol

tru, i dont know man i think i had bad luck and got a paralyze from the crystal spider early and then i was eating crits from the spit. Maybe i just need to get used to Beraths challenge. Less room for error before you have a resurrection spell. Also yes I was level 4.

Hey guys, I for some reason I’m getting my butt handed to me on Port Maje Isle. I know it’s tough. Playing with Berath and Skaens Challenge plus crit path upscale. Been running a Crusader tank plus Eder swashbuckler, Xoti Priest, Scout Hired Merc and Aloth Wizard. Specifically inside the ruin, I have been beaten that part of the game on PoTD 1000 times and just came back to the game and wow have I gotten slaughtered. That Damn Ooze and those Brine Imps have a 71 Accuracy, the only reliable defense is to shield wall the opening volley or it’s an RNG to your possible death! Once Eder comes out of stealth it’s basically lay on hands him through Imp Volleys of corrode spit! Beraths Challenge is truly terrifying until you have resurrection spells...I’m playing with no Blessings... PS PoTD is way harder in POE 2

Agreed, thanks for the clarification. Thing is I can’t fit anything else in this large shield build, so far it’s good, and wearing light armor makes the Crusader fast enough, but obviously could be better. I tried to make up the 10 DEX by being light since I had started already. Gathering what you said you would dump the 15 might for 15 Dex and keep might at 10 correct? Makes sense. Accurate and hit faster plus more reactive. You lose out on heals and dmg but it’s not bad.

@thelee This has led me on a good path thus far thank you. Granted I’m countering sluggish tanking differently, but you got me thinking properly. I started a game before your post and I’m on a no attribute respec rule...old school D and D style (my next one will be as you advised with high dex)Play through. I’m currently in a PoTD trial of iron game with Beraths Challenge and Skaens (mild challengers, although before you have a Rez ability some fights can be terrifying lmao). In my misguided ways and from the material I May have misread I figured Might and Per should be equal or close to for consistently landing hits on POTD with good damage. I went 14 Might (Also for better heals), 15 Per and Max Resolve (19 base) and have stacked INT gear So far to make up for the average INT which at the start wasn’t great but it was enough. Since I have a good PER I’m using a large shield and with Gilded Emnity stuff doesn’t PEN me even in Fine Leather when I do get hit. So I have made up for the average dex by wearing light armor...the plan is to have the 2 INT helmet that the vendor sells in Neketaka (the Hylea themed one) and use the large shield that gives you high INT when you engage and then get the disc barrage upgrade that gives you InT and PL level. Also getting mob stance (already have enough engagement with Unbroken and some other items) and other items that speed me up will let me wear a bit heavier armor in the late game and not be slow. I can get Resolve and affliction reduction in other slots like a ring. A high Per and Disciplined Barrage (20 PER with Barrage up) I have been able to use a large shield and consistently hit and down the drakes In the early game pretty much solo, I pulled them away from the party and a sword with pierce damage owns them, also with a large shield and Skrim I’m pushing 90 Deflection at level 5. PS the large shield modal let me soak that high damage gunfire volley on Gorrecci street, it really helped.

100% I didn’t mean to say that engagement is bad, it’s definitely not. It’s waaaaaay better than in POE 1. As Boeroer said Trickster/unbroken and anything really that engages tanks for sure. What I meanT was i didn’t want a tank whose only good at engaging. In fights where you start surrounded or you get a might affliction you will lose engagement, granted the party should have escapes/Inspirations so you can re-engage but I still Want the Crusader to be a competent at melee attacks on POTD.

Appreciate the quick response! Shows what I know...lol I read what your PoTD post about damage stats and read that PER and MIG should be equal and are very good for your DPS on PoTD. We did think the same on RES, but I see your point with DEX. The post you made about damage stats did not talk about weapon and shield style, and because it makes you slower maybe DEX is the play. I was thinking I could speed myself up with items like Reckless Brigandine, Modywr etc and not have to worry about DEX...but yes in the early game before you have those items you are really damn slow...and a few bad rolls against you you may not have the speed to land Lay on Hands. Weird on a physical class that your Fort is going to be meh BUT I get it and at least I get to keep Res which i like Deadfire Stats tend be so weird to me physcall classes dont need physical stats lmao but maybe that is just cause i only play PoTD and PoTD unbalances the game a bit. The game was made for normal right? lol Lastly, I feel like Crusader and the Paladin class have to many needs in PoTD. You could use Might, Int, Res, Per, and Dex..its too much you are spread too thin.

I like tanking and using a shield but as you know a sack of meat no offense tank isn’t very effective in a game with no aggro, even with engagement. What would be agood stat distribution for a Crusader build around good defenses but acceptable offensive output with sword and shield? I feel like I need Per, Might and Int. I Think can skip on dex if I speed myself up with mob stance and gear...I hate dumping resolve and leaving at 10 for RP reasons but i feel I may have to to be effective...

Do you just get the armor buff and lose out on the damage bonus? When I cast sworn enemy I see my armor buff but don’t see a de buff on the sworn target...maybe I saw that wrong??

In my last play through I had Konstenten with the Frenzy upgrade that Frightens and the amount of disengagement attacks went up by a lot. The game does not always correctly remove engagement when an enemy is feared. This could give an Unbroken some good opportunities for forcing disengagement attacks. Remember that a lot of the time frighten does remove engagement , but sometimes it does not!

Update: Finished the game on PoTD Ironman and I was surprised at the effectiveness of my single class party member especially the Paladin. Sacred Immolation with Divine Immolation is great, my SC Paladin went from 4th in damage to second only to Red Hand Scout Maia. Divine Immolation gives +1 Pen and 4 ACC to the ability and heals the front line really really well. Stacked with Exalted Endurance and LoH for emergencies, and multiple exhortations I was surprised at the effectiveness of the SC Paladin that gets dumped on so much. Light of Pure Zeal was good, but made a bit moot due to having Xoti SC with Dismissal, that said it was a great AOE emergency heal, and it did single handedly beat the undead dragon and the Fampyrs in the Splintered Reef. Divine Retribution: Great with a chanter, THE reason to go SC Paladin imo. Single Classes: I liked that you get abilities early and often, and due to having so many abilities in one class you can have niche spells that trivialize encounters like Dismissal and Light of Pure Zeal. I fee that muticlasses have to be more generalists, they are super effective but imo you have to take abilities that work on all enemies, not just one shot pony abilities like Dismissal.

Ya true, I guess it just hurts a lot early. All good ideas, some levels and smart counters like that definitely make it manageable.

I love the look of Tower Shields but I find that PotD makes them kind of crap, so what’s the answer? I feel that any fighter multi with disc barrage and high PER can make them work and you will still be able to hit things. Any suggestions? I know it’s kind of the point of a large shield you get a huge increase in defense for less offense, but I wanted to see if we could retain the large shield and have respectable offense.

That stinks. They aren’t patching the game either so it won’t get fixed. How’d it a modder one day. Is it me or was POE 2 left in a worst state than the first one? Still a good game.

Have any of you guys seen this? Towards the end of my playthrough my helm Death’s Maw lost its Death Runes enchant.

Finished Seeker, Slayer, Survivor, and I did not have the checks to completely talk the slayer into not fighting me, I had no choice but to fight. Throughout the trials I gave the souls to the island to strengthen it, trying to make good with Galawain, even gaining the permanent buff Galawain’s Favor! At the start of the expansion he did not want me on the island because I did Beraths quest in POE 1 to destroy the Ethnik Nol’s Leaders. At the end of SSS he doesn’t acknowledge the fact that I tried to help his island at all, and even though I was diplomatic with him he still forced me to Kill his Lizards. PS I also fixed the islands soul clog issue and now the souls flow Properly.

I’m at 20 and can’t decide on prestige or DI lol. I’m on Rymrgands realms to so I better hurry before my souls desolves! Lol

Hmmm well It’s a party! So The DPS increase of Glorious beacon is for my scout and mindstalker. High triple digit shots against bosses has been the result. Even it’s a few shots, those really hurt. It’s been really good, but I hear you it’s only a few attacks.Light of Pure Zeal has been excellent so far, trivializes vessel and spirit fights and it’s a great emergency heal.

That it is....let’s break it down if you guys have time! DI-Would help me hit harder and more accurately with my most consistent dps ability. The Paladins main job isn’t DPS BUT it’s becoming more so the case that he and Xoti do lots of AOE damage and and a bit less support. It would also consistently heal my Howler Frontliner and Ishiza (Maia has so much ACC that bonded grief doesn’t affect her much or at all due to the Arquebus modal and Marked Prey even on PoTD,but she loses a little dps if Ishiza is down to the bird being fully upgraded) Prestige: Would increase FoD (not a main dps talent but it can be, I have to respec Eternal Devotion since it improves SI and shared flames doesn’t go as well with the group comp due to the evolving nature of my original concept of the group). Light of Pure Zeal? Improve Glorious Beacon with its upgrade for increased damage taken to enemy. My Exhortations? Reinforcing, Hastening it’s upgrade, and Liberating. The rest of my build is right side of the tree passives.

Ya it’s between Prestige and Divine Immolation. My front line is really just my Paladin Support tank/secondary dps now that he has SI and Light of Pure Zeal he’s really catching up, Constantine as a Howler (not an efficient summoner but it works, Pallegina would of been better but I made her a Crusader, I hadn’t planned for Divine Ret at the time, i saw it later) he’s actually turned into a Duel Wield tank who does good damage and Ishiza, Xoti sometimes upfront but she’s in the middle of the group buffing. Back line is OP Maia Scout with red hand (has the double the damage of anyone) and Mindstalker Ydwin. Those 2 won’t profit from Divine Immolation.

Ya I do have room for it, I’ve already got Divine Retribution and Light of Pure Zeal at 19 (Light of Pure Zeal single handedly annihilated the undead dragon). So I’m deciding for my level 20 ability. You said PL level doesn’t affect AOE Pen? Like Sacred Immolation?

What are the exact numbers on this talent? Is it wort it?

Ya I know that’s why I prefer them. Enough defense on a Paladin no need to take an ACC hit, if you want to use weapon and shield style.

Ah that makes sense. Just checked the log.