Boeroer

Paladins can do more than tank and heal - for example the support abilites of both classes can work together very well. But besides that an Inquisitor could for example combine the Paladin's passive defenses with the Cipher's Psychovampiric Shield and Borrowed Instincts and become super tanky - while still being able to do other impactful stuff which a more traditional tank wouldn't be able to do. So I wouldn't say that paladin and cipher don't help with the other side at all. For a CC-oriented Cipher with blunderbusses a paladin might not be the optimal choice maybe... unless you are using a Kind Wayfarer, then it's cool if you plan to use White Flames + Exalted Endurace and heal your party while shooting enemies/gaining focus for the next CC thing.

Huh? Psion and Beguiler usually don't. One of the most versatile and fun cipher multiclasses I ever played was a Psion/Troubadour. It can just do everything well (except melee fights). It doesn't need any special items and almost never has to use a weapon for anything. Besides that it can focus on summons + mind control (very impactful combo), CC (loads of options from both classes), damage (invocations + chants + cipher powers), support and even healing. It's best to keep this guy out of trouble though and not make him the party's weakest target because he doesn't generate focus when getting damaged. If you like to stick to blunderbusses Cipher/Troubadour is still a good combo, just not with Psion but either with Ascendant or Beguiler. The Troubadour can uphold a chant with "Sure Handed Ila" & "Mith Fyr" at the same time without gap - which leads to very good shooting speed (because the reload AND recovery speedup of the Ila-phrase both apply to reloading weapons such as blunderbusses) while the fire lash from the second phrase Mith Fyr adds some damage and additional focus for every hit with the blunderbuss. And of course both phrases also help your party. A Beguiler can get focus from either casting Deception spells or dealing damage (which is versatile) while the Ascendant only gains focus from dealing damage - but can ascend very quickly against either mobs with dual Serafen blunderbusses (mortars) or with the special shot "Thunderous Report" from the unique blunderbuss Kitchen Stove - or simply with regular blunderbusses against single foes. If you really like to use blunderbusses a lot then Ascendant/Streetfighter would be my pick. The modal of blunderbusses triggers the streetfighter's passive which makes him reload faster than anybody else while dealing crazy high dmg per hit bc. of higher Sneak Attack bonus (= more focus). Which makes him ascend fast which in turn lets him spit out spells on quick succession bc. of his reduced recovery time. Struggles with accuracy from time to time until he gets Borrowed Instincts. Cipher/Ranger is the multiclass with the potential highest accuracy. So if you want to shoot and cast with high accuracy then that's the way to go. Also Rangers have Driving Fligjht which lets your shots bounce once. It stacks with weapons' own bounces (see Fire in the Hole, one of Serafen's mortars he can get) which can be quite a show and also adds quite a lot of damage and focus against mobs.

If I were a smart game AI I would use Wizards with with Miasma, Enervating Terror and Draining Touch against a Furyshaper.

You can apply it, but due to its rel. short base duration and Dorudugan's very high Resolve (and pretty high Will which makes crits unlikely) it won't last very long unfortunately. I just applied it to him and he still used Helfire Barrage against my party. So I guess it doesn't work properly against him. Not 100% sure though since I only tried it for a minute or so.

Sorry, I never tried. But for testing you can use any savegame and just spawn Dorudugan with the console using: spawnPrefabAtMouse CRE_Construct_Helfire_Ironclad after activating cheats with iRoll20s

Usually they are "better" because players are good at emphasizing the advantages and circumventing the downsides.

I believe some players underestimate the impact of PL bonuses. Per 1 PL (where applicable): Healing +5% Damage +5% Duration +5% Accuracy +1 Penetration +0.25 (one has to ask: why not AoE size...?) With stuff like damage and duration the PL bonus increases the base value, so it can be multiplicative (with other damage bonuses for example). Even with the least impactful way to use Power Levels (summons) this could be good enough: A dragon summon with a base duration of 25 secs and a PL bonus of min 7 will suddenly have a "base" duration of ~34 secs - which might mean you could uphold a dragon summon at all times with few cast (didn't actually try but I guess this should be pretty valuable). A Troub could simply cast it more quickly again but would have to cast the invocation twice. On the flipside the Troub's second dragon will have fresh HP... But way better than Vanilla chanters' dragons though. In some cases it can be more valuable to cast an invocation with +5 PL than casting two invocations with no PL bonus of the same kind - for example when the normal invocation would frequently miss or graze or if it underpenetrates. And one has to remember that the Troubadour has increased invocation cost which doesn't let him dish out invocations twice as fast - and not only bc. of the +1 cost, but also because of one added "singing" recovery which stops the chanting for some time. +1 phrase cost isn't a big deal with the expensive invocations - but hurts with the cheap ones. So the situation dictates whether +5 or +7 or so PLs are as good as a non-buffed invocation followed by a faster non-buffed invocation. The small chant AoE is not cool - but it can become meaningless with the right phrase - for example Many Lives The real advatage of the Troubadour is its versatility - not only during the game but also when planning your character and the role. Is it more about cool chants? +50% linger time! Is it about fast invocations of all different sorts: Brisk Recitation! And versatility is a big boon in this game imo. Then also some phrases simply don't care if you cut off the linger time (again Many Lives, but also several others) - little design flaw if you ask me. Imo Bellowers should use pricey invocation in a way @theleedescribed: cast them when available, don't try to collect more phrases (which will be cut after the invocation). I find they don't perform notably better than vanilla chanter in normal encounters, but against tough nuts and bosses the always present PL buffs do work quite well.

I don't know why they didn't add controller support for the PC version - but the console versions were not done by Obsidian.

Gibbs are mechanically disadvantageous.

Never encountered that item in thousands of playing hours. CP didn't add that for sure. So I went through all the trinkets with the console and didn't find any that would come close. Also tried Grimoires and lore books. Sure it's not a mod?

Yeah, but doing both and then combine it with lowering enemies' defenses is when things really start to take off.

Right. Escape Cape uses the Escape effect of the Rogue's ability but it comes from an item and thus stacks with everything except(!) the original Escape. So Escape + Escape Cape is NOT +100 deflection. Same with the Mask's +50 deflection: it's Arcane Veil basically, but from an item. It stacks with everything exept the original Arcane Veil. So Arcane Veil + Mask of the Weyc is NOT +100 deflection. BUT the Mask + the Cape IS +100 deflection which stacks with everything else (except Escape and Arcane Veil). Add Morrored Images (+25) and Llengrath's Safeguard (+20) and just like that you'll have +145 deflection which turns anybody into a great "deflector". I mean if you can keep it up. Besides Wall of Draining one could also use the Priest's Salvation of Time + Brilliant. Obviously that's all late game stuff that is cool and all but really is just having fun in the late stages of the game. In order for a Riposte+Offensive Parry build to be fun to play (especially on PotD!) you need to make sure your char has very good deflection right out of the box. Then add all sorts of abilities, (party) buffs and items with deflection bonuses asap. I tried a Soulblade/Shattered Pillar once because Offensive Parry (and maybe also Riposte, don't remember) generate wounds, work with Swift Flurry(HBD) and iirc Offensive Parry also generates focus (not 100% sure anymore). And of course WotEP's cone is nice and funky with Soul Annihilation (see clip below) It was fun but this is a pretty "narrow" build which is cool at one/two things and that's it. Stuff like Rogue/Wizard is more versatile (at least when one combines Riposte and Offensive Parry which is fun but very limiting setup) so it's more useful for me in a party setup. Riposte alone is so "random" to me that I don't find it very interesting to plan around it. Edit: I just remembered that the Outward Spikes ripost-ish enchantment of Tuotilo's Palm as well as the Flame Shield form Magran's Blessing to also trigger Swift Flurry/HbD attacks (with the main hand weapon - see Mohora Tanga). So maybe a Riposte Trickster/Monk would want to use Tuotilo's Palm. Unfortunatly with Outward Spikes you cannot have "Balanced Shield" anymore which I generally find to be more useful. The clip that shows the weird workings of WotEP's cone + Soul Annihilation: --- I also had fun with Offensive Parry as a Bloodmage/Steel Garrote where Offensive Parry dazes automatically, unlocking the Steel Garrote health drain which counters the Bloodmage's self damage from Blood Sacrifice. I was casting all the time though and just used the Offensive Parry as bonus "fuel" for Blood Sacrifice and tankyness and not as the main source of damage or so. I think that was the most overall useful character with Offensive Parry which resembles somthing like a "Riposte build". No real (Rogue) Riposte there though. I thought I made a clip of that but cannot find it atm. Edit: only found a screenshot of the character with it's general item setup and what's that doing for the deflection: Edit: then found a clip for Trickster/Unbroken (I think), but's it's a webm format and this forum doesn't support that it seems. Edit: aaand found an animated gif of a Trickster/Steel Garrote:

The most fun Riposte builds contain Whispers of the Endless Paths with Offensive Parry for me. Riposte and Offensive Parry do stack. The most ridiculous stacking of deflection for max Ripostes can be done with a Wizard bc. then you can use Wall of Draining to prolong otherwise short items' deflection buffs which stack - for example the +50 deflection from the Mask of the Weyc on top of the +50 deflection from the Escape Cape + 25 Mirrored Images and Llengrath's Safeguard. This is not a good strategy vs. bosses or ranged enemies obviously but good fun against melee mobs. Against bosses, ranged and/or singular enemies best switch to another weapon and do it the "regular" way: with Gouging Strike...

Although I learned French in school (and the wife of my brother-in-law is from the gorgeous town of Dinan ;)) it would be cool if you guys could revert back to English - at least if you want non-francophone users to participate.

It's great. If you go Berserker/Bellower and "accidentally" kill your own Many-Lives-Skeletons you'll trigger Blood Thirst (not working for reloading but invocations' recovery), Bloodlust, +1 Phrase (Blightheart), Blood Storm duration bonus and healing from heal-on-kill pet (self and/or party-wide effect). Also healing from Triumph of the Crusaders will trigger - should you have a Priest with that spell in the party. Makes the Berserker/Bellower almost unkillable if done right. If you have a SC Paladin then you'll get +2 Zeal per dead skeleton at PL9 (Devine Retribution). Btw.: Confusion doesn't affect the friend-or-foe mechanic of chants - fortunately! Doesn't matter with Many Lives anyway - but until then you might want to use other chants and feared the Confusion of Frenzy would make a huge mess - but it doesn't.

Huh? Wow what?

It's still slowish - but for me it was never the fastest experience to begin with. I believe it's better than it was on wednesday/thursday though. Edit: did a bit of manical testing and it's def. better now.

I just load up some random savegame, use the console to create the character in question and then spawn some appropriate enemies.

Besides the question whether the expansions make the rest of the base game too easy or not, level 8 is a good time (I'd say the perfect time) to enter the White March I. Since the expansions are more enjoyable than the last act of the base game (imo) I would not wait with them until the base game is nearly finished. White March I is balanced for parties around lvl 8. Going there at lvl 16 would be a lame experience I think. Also you'll find interesting loot there that is enjoyable - and for me it's better to get that and use it earlier and for a longer time than getting it super late and feel "aw dang". White March II and Crägholt Bluffs are high level stuff and the end of WWII is still challenging at max level (while the end of the base game never was, even without expansions). So my recommendation would be to start WM I now (you can always travel back and forth between the WM and the rear of the game locations), after finishing Durgan's Battery do the last act of the base game until the point of no return, do Crägholt Bluffs and WMII and then finish the base game completely (it wouldn't have been a challenge combat-wise anyway). High level bounties will most likely still be challenging no matter how you progress.

It will totally work - meaning it will be a viable character in Deadfire. But some of the unique mechanics of the PoE-Ploi (namely Coordinated Attacks + single handed marking weapon) will not be available in Deadfire. But nothing will stop you from playing a charismatic/diplomatic Paladin with weapon and shield.

I'm also getting this every now and then:

& Indeed, I noticed the same.

Three Four things that came to mind in addition to what @omgFIREBALLS said: Outworn Buckler - shortens hostile effects' duration and potentially bonus burn AR Ngati's Tusk - its aura "Lord of the Hunt" lowers enemies' defenses based on your Survival skill. It's an auto-hit and the AoE is pretty big. The debuff stacks with everything. It's excellent with enough survival. Cap of the Laughingstock - its pretty big aura lowers everybody's(!) deflection by 10 and grants immunity to Resolve afflictions. If build around it can be very good. The deflection debuff stacks with everything. Thundercrack Pistol - can grant an aura in which armored characters or chracters with shields suffer speed and ACC debuffs.

There's Gouging Strike, Brand Enemy and True Love's Kiss (passive of the unique Dagger "Lover's Embrace"). I usually combine all three when doing a solo Assassin run (whatever Paladin/Assassin). One could say that Soft Winds of Death and Dragn Thrashed (chants) also fall under that category since they won't stop until combat ends (or the chanter goes down). There's also the Blackened Plate which can be enchanted with an aura that does automatic DoT (auto-hit) in an area (that's smaller than a chant's AoE). THis also only stops when the wearer goes down or the combat ends. Then there are some DoTs that don't last forever - but a pretty long time, namely Battle Axes' Bleeding Cuts (modal) and Saru Sichr's (Morning Star) Poison Dipped (poison DoT). I guess there are some more that last rel. long that I forgot. Yeah, that's the strong suit of the Psion. If you build him with small shield, weapon & shield style and generelly with good defenses the "stop generating focus on getting damaged" isn't too bad. If you use summons and/or mind control there's ususally more attractive targets for the enemies.

The virtual incarnation of that concept is the Herald (pref. Kind Wayfarer/Troubadour). Stacking "passive" healing in form of Exalted Endurance + Ancient Memory + Mercy and Kindness for the whole party and offering support and occasional healing spikes. Also Paladins can deliver Brand Enemy, an everlasting DoT that has no hit roll (alsways hits). I guess adding some sturdy Trickster/Whatever with Gouging Strike would add to the everlasting DoT department. Rogues have limited resources, but since Gouging Strike lasts forever this makes up for it. And the second class might have unlimited resources. An SC Shieldbearer, paired with a Troubadour in the party who constantly summons skeletons via Many Lives Pass By chant will basically drown in Zeal points once he reaches Power Level 9, making him the most potent support character in the party who can drop Lay on Hands laced with Barring Death's Door at all times to make the party supersturdy. Besides that everything sturdy with good defense and unlimited resources comes to mind. I really like a sturdy Psion/something. Pain Block for healing, support, neverending resource that generates itself and nasty DoT and good accuracy.