So, this is part legitimate question and part rant. I just bought the game today and I'm trying to understand the character build concepts people are using. There aren't a lot of build calculators for the game and the wiki is pretty out of date or just lacking explanitory content, so it's difficult to gather ANY of the information I need without doing extensive testing on my own, which defeats the purpose of visiting the wiki at all if I have to level each class and record the abilities, attributes, etc and what their effects are with varying stats/items.
So, my initial question is simple: why are people dumping certain stats in this game? Why dump Dex and Int on a Paladin, for instance.
(Before you answer, I know about how and why to use min/max character builds. This isn't my first RPG I've ever played and I'm normally very good at them. No need to explain the min/max concept. Of course, I feel most people misuse the term "min/max," in general, as people simply attribute min/maxing a build in order to explain how the powerful builds are so powerful, when the build is just based around using more powerful abilities and doesn't really minimize any important/needed stats. ie there is no real trade-off.)
I get the feeling things aren't being min/maxed to good effect in this game. That's why I'm here, asking experienced players - so that I can understand a little more quickly. I can kind of understand Int because Paladins have a lot of targeted abilities that last for indefinite periods of time, not many AOEs (Except Auras), or abilities that have a timer of X seconds. If people are min/maxing and using Dex as a dump stat, what are they maxing with those points? It seems to me that if you are dumping Dex on a melee character, you're basically saying the character is going to do little-to-no damage. If that's true, why put points in Might? If a Paladin has 18 Might and 3 Dex, all I can see is better Lay on Hands and better Fortitude defense. However, if Lay on Hands is as limited in usefullness as people say, then wouldn't you be better served dumping not only Dex, but Might and Int as well? I mean, with no damage-dealing ability to start with, swinging slower isn't helping them hold aggro anyway, so why bother with Might if aggro isn't determined by damage? Then you could pump Con, Perception, and Resolve to max Deflection, HP, and Endurance, while counter-balancing the losses in Fort, Reflex, and Will? (You'd actually have small bonuses in all 3.) Wouldn't that make the "uber" tank that is basically useless at anything but tanking? (Which seems to be the consistent comment on the forums about Paladins - useless except as tanks.)
Basically, if you use Dex as a dump stat, your Reflex becomes garbage AND you do everything slower. (Casting, Attacking, etc) So, people are pumping 8 points (or so) into Perception, which counters the HUGE negative that 3 Dex gives to Reflex, and in return they gain 24 Interrupt and 8 Deflection. Nevermind the aggro mechanic in this game, just explain why adding 8 points to Perception to gain 8 Deflection actually matters when I'm seeing Deflection numbers like 140, 160, 170, etc on the forums? Does 8 Deflection from Perception really matter that much? (People downplay the usefullnes of Interrupt, claiming items do it better, so that makes this concept even less viable.)
Why wouldn't you you just leave Con, Int, Per, and Res at 10, then pump Mig and Dex as high as you can? You'd do much more damage because you'd swing faster and you could use any abilities with a timer faster, not to mention the benefits to Lay on Hands and the actual weapon damage you deal. Your Fort and Reflex would be really high and you wouldn't suffer any penalties to Will. All you'd really lose is 8 Deflection, or so. (Since it seems people aren't maxing Perception AND Resolve, at the same time anyway. If you are, please lay out your starting Attibutes for me - I would love to see them.)
I mean, if you had 162 Deflection instead of 170, would that even matter? Let's say you added 8 to Mig (18) and 7 to Dex (17) at creation. You'd gain roughly 16 Fort and 14 Reflex, not to mention you'd do considerably more damage because you'd be swinging/casting 42% faster. (The difference in swing speed going from 3 Dex to 17.) All of which which seems like a good trade for 8 Deflection and +2 Reflex/Fort/Will.
The only thing I can see that would counter my argument is the speed reduction on Armors. You gain 42% and you lose 40%. It's still better than losing 82%. And, you can give up 2 base DR to use Leather and lose only 20% speed, if you're trying to focus more on increasing damage instead of making a solid tank build.
So, why are people dumping Dex, in particular? Why are people making this trade? If anything, why not Dump Intel to 3 and pump those 7 points in Resolve to counter the loss in Will, but still gain 7 Deflection and 21 Concentration? You're Auras wouldnt' effect other party members, but the other NPCs are there to buff the TANK or YOU. Have the strongest tank you can get and let an off-tank provide party auras if you need them.
Or, am I missing something?
