Elric Galad

Blunderbuss (and Frostseeker) trades DPS (and a bit of PEN) for multi attacks. Multi attacks is a bonus on its own and has a lot of combo potential : - Tranquilizer as you said. Bane of Auranic life IMHO. - BPM Gambit - Really any condition inflicting or interrupting attack, just for getting more rolls. Worth mentionning Stunning Surge (almost guaranteed refund vs single target) and Confounding Blind - Combusting Wounds, Avenging Storm (28-40 additional base damages per attack), resonant touch, - Dispelling mirrored image, iron skin, etc... Without this advantages, they are indeed meh. Worth mentionning Kitchen Stove cone attack is one of the most potent per encounter weapon activable ability.

New version availble, Mostly addressing Wild Mind and Biting Whip reworks, so feel free to test them. Deadfire Balance Polishing Mod at Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire Nexus - Mods and Community (nexusmods.com) By the way, Wild Mind works with existing save by re-adding the "ability" by console command.

Cipher's Whip abilities are supposed to turn off at full focus (except for Ascendant). But Draing Whip does not turn off at full focus for Vanilla Cipher, Soulblade and Wild Mind. You still get +20% weapon damages (focus drain bonus is of course irrelevant). This is clearly an oversight since it does turn off for Soul Whip and Beguiler's Draining Whip. (ascendant does not turn off but this is normal and it's a different ability). Note that the error in the data file was pretty obvious once the issue was spotted, so it will be corrected in next BPM version.

Skyward kick should work, regaining 3 wounds should be doable. (Hylea's Talon, Voidwheel, Nalzpaca, Enduring Dance...)

Also remember that Barbaric Retaliation has an intresic +16 accuracy and +4 Penetration compared to normal attack (nothing exceptional, most similar abilities have similar bonuses, albeit lower cause they are from lower tier). It might be useful if building upon axes, because they deal only splash damages which can be limited vs some bosses.

Only Serafen Wild Mind

At least a Skald Barbarian has to be on front row so its tanking stats are not wasted. But yeah, when thinking about poorly allocated stats, Konstanten is indeed the first to come to my mind. (Geomancer Maia has bad INT too, but at least has a Smart self buff). There is a reason why BPM raised all companions and si de kick stats by 2 (in total) and why I gave 1 of the points to Konstanten Intellect.

I think Intellect is probably the most important stat for min maxing. Any build requiring Intellect have major issues when not having it. Might is paramount for a healer. Might be less important for a damage dealer caster since high Perception instead can somewhat replace it. A few builds absolutely require high PER. Keep in mind that a lower stat means another stat will be higher. And all stats are somewhat useful, even if more than a couple points of CON/RES on a backrow character can feel a waste.

OK, I'm happy to announce that I haven't changed my mind again for about 48h, so I'm quite comfortable to implement this solution. That said, BW may only increase SA damages by 1.33 when active (technical constraint, can't do otherwise). Which means it won't work at full focus. That said, this isn't too much illogical since the bonus will be said to come from BW so it makes sense if it works only when active. Also SA is already a bit worse at full focus since missing the +20% Bonus damages for both the weapon and added raw damages, and CP raw damages lash for the weapon attack part. (so use BPM Tenuous Grasp or whatever)

My current run is with a Corpse Eater and his joyful companions. I think I have seen food buff cleared unexpectedly, but I have no idea if it's related to a forced rest because I have never been paying too much attention to that. All food buffs cleared, not just Kith Food. I'm pretty sure I have seen it with Inn bonus too (rested at Luminous Bath before the Quest... After a while there was only Adra Glow bonus, but not the rest one). I didn't care cause I love RP my party resting and having a good meal. Now for related BPM changes : all food was set to stacking but how could this be related? Also inn bonuses were already stacking and weren't modified by BPM so it can't explain why they went away too. Possible theory : this is a vanilla bug, but the reason no one every spotted it was because once a food bonus was transformed into a stacking passive, it somehow becomes immune to the bug. Have you ever noted that inn bonus mysteriously go away in Vanilla game ?

I changed my mind again cause I feared Cipher could become too much of a martial damages dealer, and I'm going to pick this solution you were rooting for. SW/BW 0.625 focus per damages BW generates 75% of DW focus vs full penetration without further lashes. But I will still pick something from my previous solution, SA damages increased with BW, but only x1.33 : With BW : primary_weapon_final_dmg + [10 + (focus - 10) / 3] * [1 + 0.05 * (pl - 1)] * (1 + damage_bonuses + weapon_damage_bonuses) BW generates 75% focus from DW so multiplicating by 1.33 will ensure similar damages for the raw damages part. This is the safest solution cause it does not create raw lash monsters, but ensure DW does not provide a better raw lash than BW by the magic of SA. Final (I hope) nutshell : - BW does x1.2 weapon damages from DW - BW provides x0.75 focus for spells from DW when full PEN (better ratio when underPEN, slightly worse with other lashes) - BW does the same damages as DW for SA raw damages part with similar previous attack (the weapon attack part will do x1.2 weapon damages)

Yes, just a note for soulblade BW. The actual effect will be coded within SA though, but you won't get indication it is there, only by SB BW. Not entirely sure about setting BW to 25% raw lash. Feels a bit powercreeping. But the SA change part would fix a big part of the issue.

It depends but they may not if they are always active. Trickster nerf shoudn't work unfortunately. Yop, can't do better

Okay, after thinking about many solutions, I have the first proposal I feel satisfied about. First why simply rising the focus gain for SW/BW does not satisfy me : - low level power creep (minor) - to be honnest, this one has a relatively high risk of introducing bugs and is annoying to fully test - Major game design flaw : it would make BW / DW much closer in term of gameplay. Which isn't the point of mutually exclusive committing abilities. So my idea : a big part of the issue comes from Soul Annihilition providing benefit as Biting Whip with additional flexibility. Soul Annihilation with DW will always be pretty equivalent as Soul Annhilation with BW but more flexible. So why not just adjusting Soul Annihilation formula to ensure BW is always the better choice with it ? It makes sense after all that an ability used to increase weapon damage improve the unique weapon-based subclass ability of Soulblade. Proposal : 1) Soul annihilation formula : With SW/DW : primary_weapon_final_dmg + [10 + (focus - 10) / 4] * [1 + 0.05 * (pl - 1)] * (1 + damage_bonuses + weapon_damage_bonuses) With BW : primary_weapon_final_dmg + [10 + (focus - 10) / 2] * [1 + 0.05 * (pl - 1)] * (1 + damage_bonuses + weapon_damage_bonuses) So Soul Annihilation would always be better since it generates 0.625* focus (with full PEN) 2) *Round up BT to +25% raw lash damages. This value ensure BT being strictly better than DW in case of full underpenetration (without further lash, but even with other lash, BT feels like way better in this case) . Consequences for subclasses : - Psion : meditates on the subject - Soulblade : wanna do more weapon damages (including SA) ? Easy. Pick BW. Wanna be more versatile ? Pick DW. - Ascendant : BW benefits a lot from subclass bonus focus generation. BW Ascendant would be doing x1.2 damages (counting the minus -10% additive damages as minus -5% multiplicative) and generates about 90% focus compared to vanilla cipher. Also once ascended (a bit harder to achieve, but you have tools to do so), BW is strictly better (cough cough Wall of Draining, Salvation of Time, etc...) - Beguiler : Beguiler is quite a lot about casting. That said, if using a lots of cheap/AoE deception spell, Beguiler may need less focus. So it could make sense with a damage oriented multiclass to pick BW (Shattered Pillar, Rogue). This would create a versatile character, very focused on weapon attacks, but with backup deception spell (this would probably never be the most likely choice, but the important is that it could work) - Vanilla : a bit like Beguiler without the benefit of other focus sources. Probably the worst pick for BW, but overall the worst pick for Cipher as a whole. Note that the Soul Annihilation focus to damages ratio is around 0.25 * 2 (bonus damages) * 1.35 (PL) = 0.675 damages BW "not-gained" focus to damages ratio for other class would be 0.25 / [0.5 - 0.25 * 0.5)] = 0.6667 We are at similar order of magnitude (when full PEN and without further bonuses benefitting more to Soul Annihilation such as lashes/sneak attacks). That's a bit "non-deactivable" "potentially ranged" soul annhiliation for everybody. I think it's OK when it comes to balance.

I think the duration is visible. Granted that the shield only becomes active while Near Death. Before that, duration is infinite. Yes, but it can't be extended and can only be cast from knockdown. So for each 30s of unkillability, you have to pay "1 wound". Potion of final stand also has a non extendable cannot die effect. But since it is a consumable, number of uses per encounter is limited.

2.5 multiplier is super hard to get with anything but a mindstalker. x2 multiplier is a reasonable assumption I guess. Currently, I feel like 25% raw lash could be enough. Without further lash, it also has a strict advantage when missing 3 PEN or more (double damages, equal focus) . This is something. Underpenetration does happens, especially when using mortars or rods (and those are very optimal weapons for a cipher). Also the damages benefits is neat is certain cases. Such as when using big Active AoE from weapons or when multiclassed with Shattered Pillar.

I think the main idea is to use a big weapon AoE such as thunderous report, then an empowered attack. I think it's fine if the class has more upside than downside since it's a companion class (looking at you Maia). Also the random part is so unpopular (even with more upside) that a little help won't hurt. 3) isn't even a strict advantage since it force depleting your focus pool on an empowered ability, which one may not like. But since it's predictable, one can play around. Finally, Cipher subclasses tend to have more upside than downside IMHO.

New try for Wild Mind : all following effects 1) 50% chance of +2 PL for 3s extended by INT on cast (most likely works as (1-50%)² for spell with dual attacks such as Mental Binding) Roughly equivalent to a wizard specialization, doesn't not work every time but works on all spells. +2PL 100% chances is a bit strong and not ideal vibe fluff wise. That is still +1 PL on average, with okay variance. 2) 20% chances of an additional effect, each with 2% chance - -2 PL for 3s (extended by INT, reduced by RES not PL) (the +2PL version has 50% chances of happening) - +2 Empower Point - -1 Empower Point - Foe Random Tier 3 Affliction for 8s vs Will (+2 Accuracy per PL beyond 0) - Foe Random Tier 3 Inspiration 8s - Push Target - Echo Spell cast - Foe set invisible for 15s (extended by INT, not PL) until next attack (note that it is on average 3 times less than current) - Give Full focus - Miscast : - 2.5 radius, Hostile only - Electricity Keyword 7 PEN elecricity damages - Empty focus, set to 0.75 base damages per focus lost - Added PL Scaling (considered as Tier 0 ability) : +2 Accuracy, +0.5 PEN, %5 Multiplicative damages (a bit more generous scaling than usual) 3) Empowered Spell 100% chance of triggering miscast effect (basically Empowered spells are Soul Annihilation in an AoE). Because I like the Miscast effect.

Ok, but I suspect it is wrong for this part because I checked the code and it shows standard PL progression. And Standard PL progression is 5% multiplicative per PL above ability level. (can't check in game now)

Still, such a solution would reduce the gap between both options... which is not ideal for dedicated playstyles. Two considerations : - the very existence of Soul Annihilation converting focus into damages basically makes Draining Whips provide similar benefits as Biting Whip but with flexibility since you can keep you focus. It is almost a design flaw. - 20% raw lash is already a big bonus. It can lead to degenerate situations if made too strong. So my mind is really not set up about these.

OK What is this 1.7 ? PL ? PL is 5% per level beyond 1 (or 0 ? not sure which level is soul annhiliation). So it should be 1.35. Also don't PL multiplicative bonus applies to the physical part of Soul Annihilation as well ? (that's a real question. Note sure but it should) That's just details but thanks you for the maths.

The other option is to give SW/BW a base focus ratio of 0,625. Draining whip would only need to be +60% to match the previous value. Ascendant bonus would be limited to +40%. Note that ascendant would get exactly as much added focus with this value. 0,625x40% = 0,25 (exactly what they get before). Some stuff to check with Beguiler. BT would provide 20% more damage and 25% less focus. (0,625x1,2 = 0,75). Seems fair.

I think my analysis is a bit biased by the fact that a non ascended ascendent has just better overall numbers than a normal cipher. It deals about 5% less multiplicative damages while generating 1.5x0.95 time more focus. Even after DW, it is still 1.25x0.95 time more focus. The -1PL really isn't big here. It is intresically better. People tend to overlook that and just want to ascend, but in truth it is a very very solid subclass and the penalty is just that you have to manage your periodical focus depletion. I feel that BW having so much trouble to prove it is the better DPS option is an issue. Soulblade should really want to pick it because it fits their playstyle. Maybe 25% raw lash would ease the decision. It also perfectly compensate for 1 point of missing PEN. And in my experience BI is great but tend to make you loose momentum because it costs time and focus. So I would not count it as strictly mandatory. Especially since BW is a bit about getting a better momentum since you get some benefits one action sooner. By the way, do CP BW works with weapon active ability such as kitchen stove cone and Amira's wing Writting Wind?

There are a tons of ideas there, and I thought about a modal too. Modal shall have a very clear gameplay related intention though, not just random mode / non random mod. I also thought about a systematic PL increase upon casting but with a random value. Like +1-3 PL. So something random, but not too much, with 100% chance and only positive outcomes. The issue there is that with spell with mutliple attack loops it would proc at least twice and the game mechanics would make it stacks (and Cipher spells really love to have a separate attacks for main target and for AoE) . Another idea would be to make the miscast AoE 100% chances on empowered attacks, like a desperate measure. Could be fun in addition to regular proc but might overcomplexify the subclass. It would go well with the tweak granting more Empower points than average. Also I can't technically have more than 1 ability, so it's either passive, active or modals (with possible multiple effects and different proc chances but a single nature). Because technical reasons. But many things are still possible. I just have to keep in mind the low enthusiasm about random negative effects but I always try to keep the original fluff of abilities. Let me think (but you can still suggest ideas).

I wonder about the passive being the cast of miscast AoE based on current focus, but without losing all focus and with obviously lesser values. Like your cipher untamed power always damages nearby foes. Sounds like a cipher spell version of carnage, maybe appropriate for a witch? Edit : which probably won't work very well cause spell with multiple "launch" would probably proc it multiple time.