Boeroer

What do you mean specifically?

Paladin's Devine Retribution (PL 9) also triggers when any party summon dies (it has to get killed). That means if you have a Chanter (preferably Beckoner - Troubadour's also nice) and summon skeletons (prefreably the version that summons two additional after a skeleton's death) and then those skeletons die - every time you get Zeal for the Paladin. If the Paladin kills the skeletons himself it also works (might trigger further on-kill effects like Inspiring and Virtuous Triumph). You can combine that with a Barbarian who carries Grave Calling. The enchantment "Chillng Grave" also works on Chanter's skeletons, triggering Bloodlust, Blood Thirst and casting a foe-only Chillfog where the skeleton stood - every time you kill a skeleton. A confused Berserker will even kill them all with one strike due to friendly-fire Carnage and firendly-fire Chillfog from Chilling Grave (which counts as weapon attack and will thus trigger more Chillfogs). Berserker gets damaged by its own Chillfog then though can can one-shot himself unless you give him very high Fortitude and/or freeze DR. Basically you use your replenishable skeletons as fuel.

No, the colors were just added (quick and dirty style) by me to support the corresp. element. I quickly eyeballed them. It's just for a first impression. The "correct" background will be added by Phenomenum.

It's from @thelee if I'm not mistaken He mentioned it several times here.

You also get some XP I think (didn't really bother to sink those "Expert Vaillian Captains" and such).

Clear the Path is quite broad and very long. Comparable to Driving Roar but broader (maybe twice the size). Since it's a weapon attack it works extermely well with AoE procs. For example Karabörü... Also mortars work with it if you use a melee weapon in the offhand. Don't ask my why. But that leads to a ton of AoE attack rolls.

Do you guys think that the following wildstrike icons are ok (second row: Greater Wildstrike)?

Yeah ok. But it would be good to learn how to add experience to specific companions...

I didn't try, but it should get +3. Maelstrom doesn't seem to have the freeze keyword. I tried with LD's Voulge (+3 to storms) and Deltro's Cage (+2 to shock) and those stack to +5 with Greater Maelstrom (has shock and storm keywords). Take Otto Starcat (+1 to burn), Prestige and Power Surge and you are already at a bonus of +8 PL for Great Maelstrom. You could use Magran's Favor + Sun and Moon to get to +9 I suppose.

Just generic ones. No "named" captains.

You never played a SC fighter with Clear the Path then.

I can do that. I just thought the originals weren't that great because so much of the claw gets clipped. Also: those are always the same icons for Wildstrike, Greater Wildstrike and Wildstrike Frenzy. And since there was so little space in the original icons to expand the fire/freeze etc...

Please be more specific.

Altered some of the criticized "old" icons (from Fighter, Rogue, Paladin) and also Ranger's. So just a quick update. Special subclass passive icons will follow soon.

Wildstrike icons (down below). I don't know why, but those were especially tedious to do.

Once they join they will have your Watcher's level. So if you don't want to bring them along until some point anyway it's smarter (in regards to XP gain) to pick them up later. I don't know if you can miss a companion if you wait too long. Don't think so but I didn't try to "break" the system in that regard. But there are certain companions that you might only be able to pik up in a certain situation that you can't avoid (Edér, Aloth, Serafen maybe?). If you reject them they will be gone. Although some of them might have an option that tells them that youÄll come back later. But as I said: I didn't test that companion recruitment stuff a lot so I'm not sure.

Crägholt Bluffs: lvl 12 at least. Maybe wait for 14. Longwatch Falls: 10 if you are bold. 12 should be ok. This is only out of memory. I didn't play PoE for a while. Which hirelings doesn't matter that much. They are only cannon fodder since they don't level properly. Choose them based on the prestige/defense they bring to your stronghold. More defenses: fewer annoying raids. More prestige: higher lvl stronghold adventures and events.

I don't use Heralds that much. But when I do they are usually good enough as healers once you can stack Ancient Memory with Exalted Endurance. The passive healing + Lay on Hands is usually all you need.

For example Savage Attack. It's totally fine to lose 5 ACC later in the game since you will have tons of ACC through weapon enchantments and Borrowed Insticts (which is a must have/use in my opinion). For more sturdyness Veteran's Recovery is fine, especially if you have high MIG an INT. Also Outlander's Frenzy can be used to speed up your attacks until you have collected enough focus for Time Siphon. Aspirant's Mark is better suited to ensure more crits than Bloody Slaughter is as well. It's actually pretty good as opener for a cipher since it lasts pretty long and will cost no focus. Even Scion of Flame/Heart of the Storm/Spirit of Decay/Secrets of Rime would be better than Bloody Slaughter - depending on which lash you put onto your weapon via enchantmant. If you put on a burning lash take Scion of Flame for example. It raises the lash percantage from 15% to 30%. Since lashes are multiplicative dmg modifiers and also generate focus this is worthwhile for a cipher. Especially if you also have a chanter in the party who puts an additional burning lash onto your weapon via "Mith Fyr" chant.

If you already did all the content and your companions are not lvl 20 yet I'm afraid they won't get there. I mean if you do the expnsions now they totally will. Beast of Winter is totally fine with lvl 14+.

That is correct! I can't edit the build list in the Deadfire's Character Builds subforum anymore! That's... Booo?

That melee build from steam is ok - except wasting a talent point for Bloody Slaughter which is absolute rubbish. Please note that the Lady of Pain with a two handed setup can only reach 0 recovery if you frequently use potions of Deleterious Alacrity of Motion. If you don't want to do that you must go for Two Weapon Style.

Searing Falls and the cave can be done at lvl 8. The cave can get tough though. Don't rely on fire attacks there. Also bring a character with at least 10 in mechanics and sneak through the cave once you cleared it in order to find a secret... Going to Stalwart at lvl 8 is also ok. Most early areas there like Russetwood and Durgan's Battery (outside) can be done then. Longwatch Falls is especially tough though. Some bounties may be labeled with lvl 14 but with a little preparation you can do way lower. Crägholt Bluffs is very high level stuff - except if you are very experienced (I mean as a player, not character ). If you get most of the support for Yenwood Field (Veterans, Ogres from White March - don't kill any Ogres inside their cave in Russetwood - stronghold hirelings and so on) you can do the fight at lvl 8. If not then it's tough. No idea about Geyda, never experienced this.

Besides Neketake quests and the main plot, ship combat (which is mostly bounty hunting) is a very fast and easy way to collect lots of XP, valuable items and cash. You can do it very early because your captain skills have zilch to do with your character level. After a few sunken ships you will outrank most other ship captains and crew.