Boeroer

Is there a console command that ends combat? if not, you should put one in for the beta. That bug is very annoying... I assume that an areatransition would do the job, but unfortunately the command works different from PoE and I can't figure out how.

Same here. Created a priest/paladin/monk by accident.

Devoted/Shapeshifter is pretty bad.

Nope. He has some nice gauntlets, a cape and a hat though. For testing purposes you can use the console, type "iroll20s" and then "giveitem XYZ 1" and when you're finished iroll20s again. But this will make steam achievements impossible, hahaha!

Exactly. So either those gloves are overpowered for their price or the hit/graze mechanics need a adjustment. Also some other issues with graze: Boreal Dwarfs get graze against Wilder and Primordial now instead of stacking ACC. Problem is if you pick a fighter with Disciplined Barrage or those gloves or Blessing or any other thing where you get grazes your racial ability is worth nothing all of a sudden.

It seems like they simply forgot about it.

Cool. I hope I can smuggle my forum avatar into PoE/Deadfire some day.

Although now I'm really sad that Ancient Memory is a phrase instead of a passive talent in Deadfire.

Yeah, using fine/exceptional weapons REALLY helps a lot. Not only because of the higher ACC, but mainly because of the higher PEN. Also, since I play a Skald/Berserker Howler now and frequently use Hel-Hyraf in combo with my priest's Blessing (-5! armor, can graze) all penetration issues have been removed. This is still bad though. It shows that the penetration system has to reworked - else all abilites/spells/effects that lower DR or buff PEN will always have no. 1 priority. Whis is boring. Everybody playing melee will multiclass with Devoted, every wizard will use Expose, norbody will use great swords, every chanter will pick Hel-Hyraf and so on... And now the complete bummer: priest of berath can't use Devotions. Nooo! Simply no. His sword is very good though (+60% corrosive lash at lvl 6, phew) - now I want to multicalss him with a Devoted of course. Or with a Bleak Walker and bring a chanter for the PEN. If it only wouldn't take 6 seconds to summons the blade...

I think you can, but you can't reload while attacking with the sword. With two pistols you will reload after you fired both shots.

I really don't get why they made Wounding Shot ranged only while it was ranged/melee in PoE1. Just takes away options and makes melee ranger fans angry. What's quite cool though is that Marked Prey can now jump to the next target.

There's a bug. One Handed Weapons all have only 1 sec recovery while they should have 3. That gives you the impression that two handers suck because their recovery is correctly implemented but very long compared to the actual recovery of all one handers. Only a few very light one handers shoud have this short recovery, but it was applied to all one handers accidentially. There will be a patch for the beta soon which will solve this issue. https://twitter.com/jesawyer/status/931663699093307392 Whooha! There where multiple ninjas!

Paladin (I used a Bleak Walker) with FoD + monk's Lighting Strikes is good. Shapeshifter with Wildstrike Shock + Lightning Strikes is good as well. Skald + Devoted or rogue or berserker (= more melee crits) is good. Transmuter/Barbarian or Transmuter/Monk (aka Ogre/barb or Ogre monk) is fun as well. Ogre's stat boosts stack with Frenzy's stat boosts! Same with Helwalker's MIG boost + Ogre's Might bonus. Tons of MIG and CON. You just have to make sure your penetration is high enough or enemies' DR has to be lowered. Because the Ogre has fixed clubs and can't switch weapons. Maybe Transmuter/Priest could also be nice if the Ogre can use the priest spells to summon the divine weapon. There's a lot more to try.

I agree with Gromnir's post in all except the point about universal talents. Hold shift in the combat log is indeed a very good thing! The bug with the 1-handed weapons recovery explains why casters and two handed guys felt so underpowered while my dual wielders attacked with nearly zero recovery in breastplate. I was already thinking "what the heck do I need Swift Strikes for?".

That's really neat. Thanks!

"Arkemyr's Smooth Scaling" obviously!

Yes, crit combined with 130% multiplicative damage (when penetr. is a lot higher than armor) is really devastating now. Another reason why the Devoted is very strong compared to some other melee classes atm (gets +penetr. and +crits).

It's very nice to reduce enemies' health by 50% if they walked into two traps. There are few active abilities that can take away 25% of health. I also noticed that sometimes two enemies get hit by the same trap. "Double trap" basically. And it's obviously worse for the enemy - because they can't detect and disarm traps (at least I didn't meet any that could) while I can simply disarm and use them afterwards.

I have to say the new trap implementation so far is really nice. They are dangerous and you can lure enemies into traps that are not your own. And they're really helpful to win fights now (which seem to be harder now). Causing an injury on a tough foe is very satisfying and helpful. Thumbs up! I also like that most of them are visible now. Makes you really watch out in dungeons which makes my nerves tickle. Also thumbs up for the new grimoires. Now please make Deep Pockets accessible for single class wizards.

If you know what you are looking for you can see every physical trap. By the way my MC with 16 PER and 0 mechanics finds more traps than the mercenary rogue with 14 PER and 7 mechanics. Traps are very nasty now - also for the enemy!

I swapped the initial wizard with a Bleak Walker/Shattered Pillar and now the game is a lot easier. Offensive casting needs some tweaks. Casting times are too long when compared to the high melee attack speed and misses occur too often. Remember we start with lvl 6 characters, not lvl 1. Casting for 6 secs (wit the high risk of getting interrupted) and then missing all enemies is really bad. In 6 secs I sometimes kill 3 enemies with FoD + Lightning Strikes... Also Zealous Endurance as passive buff combined with thick armor feels very powerful. The numbers of the penetration system have to get tweaked. 30% is too low it seems. The powergamer in me combined high DR with DR buffs with a lot of healing and guess what happens.

It also didn't work in PoE1 by design. In that case Novice's Suffering. I wanted to try out Lightning Strikes + Wildstrike Shock but couldn't... yet. Maybe Fury + Lightning Strikes is fun. Did anybody check if you can summon the Long Pain while shifted?

Chanter is a great class in PoE, from beginning to end, if you know how to play him (and adapt your playstyle to his slower pace). But Chanter in the beta starts with phrases - which lets you open combat with an invocation. I start every combat with either Killers or Hel Hyraf (lowering armor is so beneficial right now). And I feel my Skald/Berserker constantly gets new phrases because of crits (berserkers have some stuff that lets them crit quite often). I yet have to find out if Carnage-crits really work with this, too. Because Carnage got changed and now doesn't use weapon damage anymore but raw damage. Maybe those crits don't produce phrases... Beckoner with Skeletons and the ability to break down a skeleton into two lesser skeletons can really fill the map. Too bad there's no Spark the Souls of the Righteous in the beta. And no Heart of Fury (friendly-fire berserker could really skyrocket his HoF attacks with the help of skeletons).

Try a cipher or rogue with Firebrand.

Good to know all my whining is heard.