Kaylon

Helwalker/priest of Berath is probably the best choice if you want a hybrid melee/caster.

Do you mind explaining what does it mean? 😕

Reforge the Flesh is considered an unique effect and isn't affected by resistance/immunity to dexterity afflictions.

Someone made a spreadsheet with everything you need to know about that: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1VOXnwhAVZ2bqGJgw-cgJlG0TIqt9j3zJJbRx1epH3ho/edit#gid=0

For the end game barbarian Ngati's Tusk is also worth mentioning because of its AoE defense debuff (Hunter of Hunters). At max level it can reach -10for/ref/will, but I'm not sure if it stacks with other debuffs.

Stacking resting bonuses was used mostly by people who like to solo on potd difficulty. It's one of the tactics that comes with the knowledge of the game and it certainly helps, but I would never put it in the category of the cheesy tactics(like those based on SOT) that trivialize the game.

Some fun combos: ghost heart/monk with Frostseeker and Helm of the White Void spamming Stunning Surge soulblade/rogue with Sun and Moon & Tuotilo's Palm or Whispers of the Endless Paths spamming Soul Annihilation devoted/berserker with Lord Darryn's Voulge using Clear Out troubadour/priest with Sasha's Singing Scimitar, Least Unstable Coil, Weyc's robes and wand spamming invocations paladin/nalpazka using Sacred Immolation with Sun and Moon and Magran's Favor helwalker/streetfighter with mortars and Helm of the White Void spamming Stunning Surge devoted/monk with Whispers of the Endless Paths using Clear Out steel garrote/rogue with Modwyr and Watcher's Blade

The combo will work of course. The Wildstrike bonus adds a 20% lash to all your weapons, Firebrand included. Scion of Flame adds +1 penetration to all your fire attacks, Firebrand included. Firebrand is a good weapon at the start/mid game and coupled with the ring of Focused Flame it becomes very effective. However you should keep in mind that it scales with your level and won't go beyond superb. You should also spec in morning stars, large shields, arquebuses because they have good abilities. The most useful drug is Whiteleaf and it's the only one that scales with alchemy lvl...

I think you can backstab yourself (🤣) using Rakhan Field Boots and lower your health enough to trigger Nemnok's buffs. I suppose it's the only BDD source for non-priests because potions of Final Stand are probably combat only...

If you want the most powerful MC then you have to do a no rest run in order to keep the one time bonuses as long as possible. Thus Refreshing Finale becomes mandatory because it also allows using items with abilities that trigger on Empower every fight.

A death godlike troubadour/priest with maxed intellect and dexterity is the best buffer in the game. With the Unstable Coil, Sasha's Scimitar and Weyc's robes and wand you can have all tier 3 inspirations every fight, huge power level bonus (Attuned Channel + Pallid Fate + Brilliant) and crazy phrase regen (Muse of Mystery + Brisk Recitation + Brilliant). You can also replace the troubadour by a bellower for even higher PL, but lower phrase regen. In the front you can use a nature godlike beckoner/paladin or beckoner/monk using Animancy Cat. The monk offers longer duration, while the paladin better survivability for your summons.

If you enable the solo option, then you can recruit him without him joining your party. After that you can kill him on the boat. However I don't know if it will solve your problem.

If you don't play solo it doesn't make sense to pick a tank requiring too much micro and high level abilities. Without another chanter in a party I would always pick paladin-troubadour (solid from the start to the end and able to tank everything). If there's already another chanter, then a paladin-helwalker is also great option (can achieve passive 170+ all defenses).

My first concern would be about being able to solo... To survive using a 2h sword you need great defense - personally I would pick a Steel Garrote/Blood Mage...

Losing accuracy and Driving Flight will basically cut your damage in half for a Frostseeker build - Ydwin is better used as a caster than a ranged fighter...

To make an effective Frostseeker build you should crit a lot which means very high accuracy. The cipher can debuff deflection by 20 (Phantom Foes+Psychovampiric Shield) and buff his own accuracy by 25 (Borrowed Instinct + Tactical Meld). The helwalker is a good combo for most ranged builds but his accuracy isn't that great (a better combo is helwalker/rogue with dual mortars/the Red Hand). For the cipher I recommend the ascendant subclass for the 40% dmg bonus (Biting Whip + Ascended). For the ranger I usually recommend Ghost Heart, however for Frostseeker I would go with the Arcane Archer because of the great synergy with Imbue: Eora (the only Imbue worth using at high lvl).

Woodskin gives +5pierce AR, that's why brigandines are the best option if you have a druid in your party. Also you don't need to find some expensive unique armors - looting fine/exceptional items at his level isn't that hard (bounties/ships).

I think your tanks aren't sturdy enough... Their defenses should be high enough to reduce the critical chance of the enemies at least to single digits (to avoid over penetration from crits), while the biggest chunk of the damage should be reduced by their armor (the enemies should always have their damage reduced by 75% when they hit them). With your party you can easily achieve very high armor (brigandines+Woodskin+Pain Block) and your tanks have enough passive healing to become immortals (Exalted Endurance+Ancient Memory+Pain Block). Also don't forget to use Shield Wall when facing ranged attackers... You also have summons and your ranger's pet (a bear can become pretty sturdy too if you have one) at your disposal to take care of the enemies who manage to pass your tanks.

The most notable are the Dragon Pendant, the Blunting Belt, the Boots of the White...

It's random treasure...

A tactician/assassin is able to kill Auranic without activating any sigils, but then it's impossible to finish the encounter because you can't destroy the sigils anymore...

Bombs can be quite effective even for late game if you invest in them. The main drawbacks are the cost and the fact you have to replenish them often. With Berath's Blessings it's possible to reach 30+ in Explosives and you can increase their damage even further with Crusted Swordfish food, High Harbinger's Robes, Sash of Judgement and/or Harley pet. Other nice additions to a bomber build can be Thao's Headdress/Acina's Tricorn, Keeper of the Flame (with Sweet Aroma) and the Ring of Prosperity's Fortune. For example the Concussion Bomb can deal 90+ avg dmg (without crits), with 17 pen and 130+ accuracy (depending on the builds)...

Both are good, but overall I would say Captain's Banquet is more useful because the extra speed/immunities are always good and you can switch to Essence Interrupter against enemies with high armor.

Yes

It doesn't fire twice per round, you just skip recovery after the first shot.