Boeroer

Afaik there are no other equipable items than Modwyr, Ring of Mule's Wit and Devil of Caroc Breastplate. But I didn't memorize the items from Forgotten Sanctum yet. You can put Modwyr in the second weapon slot and switch to it when casting Frenzy, then switch back. Bit tedious though...

Iirc a multiclass cipher only gets Disintegration at lvl 16? But if Ywdin is a single class cipher in this case (OP doesn't mention class) then this is also a great way, yes. Ydwin might have trouble getting enough focus quickly enough though - since there are not that many ads.

In marked contrast to your off-the-topic recommendations - which we will get as soon a new thread opens. Also: +8 PEN against a slash immune enemy = zero dmg increase. In general putting +8 PEN on a Devoted is redundant. A Devoted should be able to penetrate because he's a Devoted. You'd better spend +8 PEN on somebody who has trouble penetrating - in most cases a caster.

Power Level base dmg scaling of any offensive weapon ability also works in favor of the raw lash, not only for FoD's.Several abilities have a +10 ACC bonus (Knockdown, Bkindig Strike etc.). So a Watcher's Blade will have a free 20% raw lash, Power Level Scaling and +10 ACC when using a resource point and a free 20% lash with auto-attacks. Besides that I only compared the two because the numbers are equal and FoD is considered a good dmg tool. Nobody stops you from using FoD with Watcher's Blade and get both. Speed bonus of Modwyr with Watcher's: Watcher's in main hand, Modwyr in offhand. Full Attacks will omit Watcher's recovery but have Modwyr's speed bonus. Also inherent speed bonus of 30% and 15% via dual wielding/two weapon style. Plus (and that's the biggest point): OP said he's dual-wielding. I can't see any encounter where dual swords would be 'really underwhelming' compared to a single sword. And besides that: nobody stops you from switching to the single blade temporarily if you must apply stuff with higher ACC or to build up hits or whatever. And switch back for some Full Attacks. For example...

You def. need no Cipher to deal with high PEN in the late game. Just completed my xth PotD playthrough which had no cipher whatsoever and didn't miss one. Also +8 PEN is pretty useless on an immune enemy. A nice combo is also Devoted/Monk with Stiletto/Fists. It's very high PEN with the Stilettos as well as with the fists and you'll have both weapon proficiencies. You'll cover pierce and crush with high PEN. A Devoted/Barbarian or a Devoted/Chanter or a single class Devoted should use a Morning Star. Debuffing fortitude is very helpful on PotD. And with Clear Out etc. you can do that on an AoE. Morning Stars have two damage types and good PEN. Generally I would advise to pick dual dmg weapons (sword, hammer, morning star, pollaxe, great sword, bows, hand mortars, Kapana Taga) or pick Monastic Unarmed Training for backup. Devoted/Wizard with Pike becomes strong once Citzal's is up. As backup you'll have spells (and Essential/Substantial Phantoms who don't suffer the penalty). Devoted/Sharpshooter with dual mortars and Evasive Roll (zip in, fire a Penetrating Strike, zip out) is quite the show. +7 PEN on mortars is... convincing. Driving Flight and the build-in jump from one of the mortars make this a little nuke. Add Heaven's Cacophony for the tough encounter...

- Only the Azure Blade. But for me it's active all the time (had it on Edér recently). Doesn't seem to matter who's around. Even if Edér charged into mobs completely alone it's on. - Yes. I think even the pets. But doesn't matter 'cause see above. I exactly used it with Rust's. I think Azure Blade is an excellent weapon because permanent +15 ACC - come on. That's huge. Whether another weapon like Grave Calling is better in tandem depends on build an enemy.

No, just the duration. Longer duration with (most) DoTs automatically means multiplicative increase of dmg in theory. But often with DoTs "additive" or "multiplicative" make no difference because there are only MIG and INT/duration as influencers. INT increases your dmg by 5% with a DoT while MIG only gives you +3% per attribute point. BUT: higher MIG means more dmg per tick and this helps with overcoming DR (which is usually 1/4th of the enemies DR during calculation of tick damage). If you install a mod like that from MaxQuest that gives you +20% dmg increase for the ticks via Scion of Flame and you have an additional dmg increase from MIG (let's say 30%) then both of those additive dmg bonuses will get multiplied by the longer duration. Thus multiplicative. With Dragon Thrashed (and most other DoTs) the rule of thumb is: stack as much MIG and INT as possible and also try to do as many crits as possible. If you want to max the dmg output that is. Always remember: knocked out chars don't do damage.

Yes. White Worms is one of the strongest effects in the early game. Mostly because you can reuse corpses over an over again and pile them (with kiting and luring) for ridiculous AoE dmg. You should deactivate the gib option in the game menu though (gibbed enemies leave no corpses). Also the phantom is very strong in the early game and works completely decoupled from your stats, talents and gear.

I do not agree. Take for example Watcher's Blade: nobody talks about it, but once it's upgraded it has a 20% raw lash. That's more damage than doing Flames of Devotion (20% burn) with every strike. You can get it very early and it stays good throughout the whole game. Modwyr is very nice (also 20% lash, elemental though but with additional attack speed). Those two can carry you through any playthrough easily. For a second weapon slot pick up Hel Beckoning + Whispers of Yenwood for fighting spirits.

Besides Devotions: weapon enchantments, other items that improve PER or ACC directly, a PER inspiration (Eldtrich Aim, Disciplined Barrage etc.) and all sorts of passives (Marksman, Razor's Edge and so on). And active abilities that raise ACC directly (like Dance of Death, Borrowed Instincts...). And of course the attack abilities that have an inherent ACC bonus - like Knockdown, Blinding Strike, Flames of Devotions, Accurate Wounding Shot...

Well Dragon Thrashed is overpowered in ifself. And crits giving you +50% duration is actually a 50% multiplicative dmg boost instead of the usual +50% additive one that non-DoTs get.

I guess. It's a nice collection.

The only things that improve damage of Dragon Thrashed is MIG and INT. And crits - because they give you longer duration. This is the case with all Damage over Time effects in Pillars. Direct dmg boosts (+x% dmg) will not work.

Grab a Morning Star with Body Blows modal, cast Blessing + Devotions with Xoti for +15 party ACC, hit the dragon with Body Blows (if your Edér is a Swashbuckler then use Blinding Strike because it has +10 ACC), then cast Wall of Flame + Combusting Wounds on it with Aloth (make sure you have the Ring of Focused Flame equipped). Follow up with Minor Missiles and ranged weapons (no pen doesn't matter that much). Should be dead very quickly. Lvl 15 should be totally doable, especially on hard (where it has lower defenses and armor). Always stack ACC, then debuff an appropriate defense (in this case Fortitude because Combusting Wounds targets Fortitude) and then deal damage. If you want you can cast a Miasma of Dull-Mindedness on the dragon as well to drop it's Will, Reflex and Deflection in order give Xoti a chance of landing Divine Mark and Shining Beacon on it (both target Will).

Sabres not really because of the single damage type. Unless you don't care that you get -10 ACC and -2 PEN in cases where you have to switch. I mean there are some really nice sabres... Swords are good. War Hammers are also good but nice unique ones come a bit lateish. A great one is the Kapana Tags Club since it has two damage types and works really well with the increased engagement slots it provides + the ones you can get from Devoted (+4 ACC per engaged target, stacks with everything) synergies very well with the enhanced crit damage of the Devoted. Offhand: shield, weapon or nothing by the way?

Yes. Unfortunately (kind of) in PoE high movement speed + kiting is a very strong tactic. Foes who are slower than you (and with Boots of Speed that nearly all foes) usually turn around and walk back to their starting position until you shoot them, then try to chase you again, turn away because you're too fast - rinse and repeat. In fights like this one in contained spaces it helps that enemy movement isn't smart. For example enemies will always try to go where you are atm, not where you will be. No anticipation whatsoever. That means (for example) that an enemy will chase you around a pillar/ad forever. "Shot on the Run" completes the cheese. Kiting is so strong that a forum user was able to complete the game on PotD solo with a lvl-1 Ranger. Look for "Noober" in the build list.

Decompile.

I think so. But you have to be quick. Some of them immediately cast Alacrity and die right away from the self dmg. Or they get summoned, move a bit, catch a disengagement attack and die.

I don't like any of them. But if there's players out there who feel differently: cool!

Using excessive hyperbole is just the common way of voicing one's opinion where Manervu123's from. Don't judge!

I finished my run (with Konstanten as Barb/Skald-debuffer in it). I'm now testing a similar concept with Skald/Devoted(Morning Star). I'll have no Brute Force, but Mule Kick as well as Clear Out target Fortitude. First Console tests with that dude show that I can refill all my phrases in an instant if I attack a debuffed crowd (-55 fort like Konstanten) with Clear Out. With Devil's Breastplate, Gauntlets of Discipline I will have +2 Clear Out uses...

Just to be clear: Phantoms only get your gear, not your stats or any of your abilities (except the passive ones from yoir gear). So no Driving Flight for Phantoms. Living Illusions get everything afaik. Very cool. Sometimes they even summon Phantoms... But they are also dead very quickly. Best thing is that Living Illusions copies you AND your animal companion! You can also summon Kalakoth's Minor Blights and then Phantom/Living Illusions. The phantom will be stuck with the burn version. But that works with Ring of Focused Flame... Having an AoE burn blast attack with +22 ACC (if one handed) on a phantom (or even more on 6 Living Illusions) is kind of cool as well. Especially if you prepared with Combusting Wounds before. Also here Driving Flight is great as well.

It's very common. Take a look here: https://pillarsofeternity.gamepedia.com/Spirit_Residue_(Deadfire) Under "Acquisition".

I don't think I will follow up on this.

Use Wall of Flames + Combusting Wounds + dual Blunderbusses. 8 hits on a target with Combusting Wounds is ouch. Then follow with some minor missiles. That's a good single target strategy. Use Spellshaping to concentrate CW on one enemy for +1 PL. Or Pull of Eora + Combusting Wounds + dual mortars + Driving Flight. For groups. Also Concussive Tranquilizer is like a Ranger's Arcane Cleanse + AoE interrupt with Fire in the Hole + Driving Flight. Don't forget that you Essential Phantom gets the same weapons. So summon it and watch how it also shoots in an AoE... Only thing is that phantom is bugged atm and doesn't scale. I hope for a quick fix.